Sales tax revenue in Aspen was down this shoulder season.
Data for October (the most recent data available) showed a 6 percent drop in revenue compared with the same time last year. September’s lodging tax collections were down 27 percent from 2017.
According to Aspen Tax Auditor Anthony Lewin, it’s not so much that this year’s numbers are downas that the Grand Avenue Bridge construction in Glenwood Springs meant localswere contributing to the visitor numbers.
"Bridge construction in Glenwood caused a lot of companies that had employees living in Rifle [and] Silt to put them up in hotels up valley to avoid Glenwood traffic", said Lewin.
That caused an uptick in last year's sales tax revenue.
While a 6 percent decrease may seem big, the shoulder season is a small part of the sales tax pie: Just over 4 percent of the year’s total. Lewin says it’s not cause for concern and November’s sales tax report will provide a look into potential pay-offs for early season snow.