Warren Co. officials surprised by sales tax windfall

QUEENSBURY | Warren County officials received a stunning, pleasant surprise on New Year's Eve that all county taxpayers and area entrepreneurs will doubtlessly appreciate. The November sales tax payment from the state to the county was $7,416,544 which is 24.7% larger than last year's payment for the same month. This late-year boost to sales tax income means that year-to-date, Warren County will have received $52,436,046 in sales tax payments this year through November, a sum that's merely 1.2% less than last year. Quite hefty revenue, considering the gloom-and-doom forecasts for the economy earlier this year because of the pandemic. If this apparent year-end surge in sales continues, 2020 may have been an even better year for retail sales than 2019 — despite the multi-month shutdown of businesses last spring, the cancellation of major events since March, and the closure or reduced occupancy mandates for taverns and restaurants that the county has endured. County Administrator Ryan Moore said late last week that the amount of the sales tax payment was "certainly unexpected," adding that the large sum could be partially due to a reconciliation by the state after a robust summer season in Lake George, or merely an error on their part. But instead, he added, the large payment may indeed reflect the resilience of Warren County's economy. He said that the busy 2020 summer season experienced by Lake George businesses — some reporting their "best ever" — resulted from not only the COVID-related air-travel and indoor activity restrictions, but because of the area's natural amenities. "These conditions favored a community like ours that has a lot to do outside, and also (the county) got 'out front' on pandemic safety," he said. "We took safety seriously and marketed ourselves as a safe summer destination, which helped us maintain economic activity in 2020." Warren County Budget Officer Kevin Geraghty — who is Warrensburg's town supervisor — also said he was pleased when he saw the sales tax report from the county Treasurer's office indicating a payment of $1,4126,544 more than the same month last year. "This is very good news for our county and our taxpayers," Geraghty said of the payment that likely reflected pandemic prosperity. "It's quite a pleasant surprise."

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Warren Co. officials surprised by sales tax windfall

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