Finance director: July sales-tax receipts up 5.3%; asset-forfeiture revenues above budget

Melissa Dubeowski, the city's finance director, presented the department's '2 plus 10' report and highlighted sales-tax performance and fund-level projections.

Dubeowski told the committee "the sales tax receipts for the month of July were 80,500,000, which is 5.3% higher than the same period last year and is 2,300,000 higher than the budget." She said the projected ending general fund balance is "$339,500,000 which is $66,600,000 higher than the adopted budget." Dubeowski also reported that asset-forfeiture revenues exceeded the budget year-to-date, prompting an upward revision of about "$2,800,000" to that fund's revenue projection.

Council members asked whether one-time events—such as FIFA—accounted for sales-tax growth, and staff said distinguishing event-driven receipts from inflation and baseline growth is difficult and that the city is reconciling reimbursements tied to events.