Briefs: Gunnison County

By Katherine Nettles

Sales tax revenues up by 7% for 2023

In a year-end sales tax report, county sales tax revenue for 2023 came in at a 7.4% increase overall from 2022. October 2023 was up 4.7%, November was up 6.6% and December was up by 5.3%. Sales tax revenue in 2022, by contrast, had increased by 17.1% over 2021. By industry, online sales brought in the highest tax revenues, followed by restaurants/bars/liquor stores, then building materials, grocery stores and utilities. All sales categories were lower in 2023 than in 2022 except for online sales, which may reflect the county finance department’s efforts to better track online sales and properly account for them as a separate line item. 

Opioid funding dispersed in Gunnison County

Commissioner Liz Smith said the Southwest Colorado Opioid Regional Council, of which she is a voting member, allocated just under $500,000 from the state of Colorado’s opioid settlement dollars to local and regional organizations last week for prevention, treatment and recovery work. “It was a big success for us to get to that point,” she said, and one organization awarded was Gunnison Valley Mentors for $100,000. Another grant specific to the Gunnison Valley, the Gunnison Sanctuary, has approval with contingencies that the council is working to finalize for future allocation. “We’re trying to make sure we’re building infrastructure and also serving the entire region,” said Smith. The settlement money is from opioid-related lawsuits, including a national settlement that awarded 46 states with $26 billion. Colorado was awarded $385 million, to be payed over a period of 18 years.