Retail sales in Manitou Springs totaled $159,512,039 in 2021, much better than the $120,698,778 in 2020. That was the year, of course, when the pandemic struck and lockdowns were imposed.
The year-to-year increase was 32.2 percent. All sales categories reported increased sales in 2021 over 2020.The Colorado Department of Revenue provides the statistics, which are based on sales tax data.
In total, Manitou collected $529,531 in sales tax. Sales tax revenue distribution is $527,160 to the General Fund, $153,674 Urban Renewal Authority, $12,174 Open Space and $36,523 Manitou Arts, Culture, and Heritage.
In December 2021, 157 businesses reported sales.
The sales category “Other in City,” which includes retail marijuana, reported sales of more than $43 million for the year. That contributed more than $392,000 to the city in the form of sales tax revenue, representing approximately 54 percent of all sales tax revenue.
The high tax numbers are due in very large part to a substantially higher sales tax on marijuana. Sales tax is by far the largest contributor to the city’s all-purpose General Fund.
The state does not provide figures by individual businesses or by what is sold, but could break out a new statistical category for marijuana if Manitou ever adds a third store.
The category “Shops/Gifts,” which includes downtown businesses, was second in sales volume with more than $38 million in 2021, a 56 percent increase over 2020. “Shops/Gifts” contributed a little more than $107,000 to the General Fund.
The very hard-hit lodging industry received a huge boost of nearly 70 percent in sales year-to-year, $17.6 million in 2021 compared to barely $10 million in 2020, which was a coronavirus-induced drop of 31.4 percent for 2020 compared to 2019.
Other percentage increases in sales over 2020 include Amusements/Bars at 69.2 percent, Stores-Food/gas at 17 percent and Restaurants with an increase of 32.8 percent.
The monthly figures can always be skewed by variables such as delinquent payments, make-up payments and quarterly, as opposed to monthly, filings.