Greeley city government’s 2017 year-end financial report was published a few weeks ago.Preparing the report is an annual exercise that can bring joy or tears to a Colorado City Manager depending on the local economy, oil and gas activity, consumer confidence, and other factors.
This year, the process was definitely more joyful than tearful. There were a few notable numbers that brought about that joy.Overall revenue that supports city services was above projections by almost 5 percent.How did this happen? Strong performance in several categories boosted revenue. For example, general sales tax collected on purchased goods was up over 9 percent, income from franchise fees was up over 4 percent, permit (such as building permits) and license fee revenue jumped almost 30 percent, and in addition there was $2.2 million in one-time oil and gas revenue collected.
When combined, revenue over projections totaled more than $4 million. This is a strong showing for a community our size. Much of that additional revenue came from purchases in five sales tax categories: dining out, general merchandise, motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts, building and home/garden materials, and utilities. These types of purchases show a robust economy, where consumer confidence is high.
Our organization’s Stewardship core value is making a strong showing as well when you consider that the overall City budget is healthy even though other revenue categories did not do as well as the ones mentioned above. On balance, City staff are doing a great job providing excellent services, while keeping our City’s finances strong.
Roy H. Otto, City Manager