Tax collections, a key measure of retail sales and lodging activity, continue to increase in Grand Junction.

The City of Grand Junction reported a 9.6 percent increase in its combined sales and use tax collections for July compared to the same month a year ago. Lodging tax collections rose 20.3 percent on a year-over-year basis.

July collections reflect June activity. August reports were unavailable as of press deadline.

The city collected more than $6 million in sales taxes and more than $185,000 in use taxes in June. Sales tax collections increased 8.1 percent. Use tax collections, a smaller and more volatile revenue source for the city, increased 92.7 percent.

The city received almost $939,000 as its share of sales tax collected by Mesa County and distributed back to municipalities in the county.

The City of Grand Junction also collected more than $1.2 million in sales and use taxes earmarked for public safety and first responders.

Through the first seven months of 2022, the city collected a total of more than $44 million in sales and use taxes. Sales tax collections increased 10.8 percent compared to the same span in 2021. City use tax collections increased 72.9 percent.

The city received nearly $6 million in sales taxes from Mesa County and collected a total of almost
$7.4 million in sales and use taxes earmarked for public safety and first responders.

The City of Grand Junction collected nearly $581,000 in lodging taxes in July, an increase over the same month last year that reflects more hotel and motel stays.

Through the first seven months of 2022, the city collected almost $2.6 million in lodging taxes, a 41.2 percent gain over the same span in 2021.

Under a measure city voters approved in 2019 to double the lodging tax to 6 percent, the city divides revenues among Visit Grand Junction, the tourism and destination marketing organization, and Grand Junction Regional Air Alliance and Greater Grand Junction Sports Commission.