Tourist Development Tax Collections Down
Tourist Development Tax collections were down by 12 percent this October when compared to October 2017, according to statistics published by Sarasota County Tax Collector Barbara Ford-Coates, a drop-off likely due to red tide. The Tourist Development Tax (also known as a “bed tax”) is a 5 percent charge on the revenue from rentals that last six months or less. The revenue is used to promote tourism, maintain beaches, support the arts and more. In October, Ford-Coates' office collected just over $1 million, down from more than $1.1 million in October 2017, and barely above the October 2016 number. The October decrease follows declines in August and September, as well.