By Curt Peterson
Killington Treasurer Lucrecia Wonsor said the town will receive $156,624 from the state as the town’s share of the rooms and meals and alcohol option tax paid during the fourth quarter of 2021, (paid Nov. 13 through Feb. 8, according to Wonsor).
The previous record revenue from fourth quarter options taxes, $131,205, was in 2019.
“Looks like things are really on the upswing,” Wonsor wrote to selectman Jim Haff in a Feb. 15 email.
Vermont allows towns to collect a 1% “option tax” on rooms, meals and alcohol sales, in addition to the 9% state tax based on “list prices” for rooms (cleaning and reservation fees) for stays of less than 30 days, and meals and in addition to the 10% state tax on alcohol.
Businesses pay the town options tax directly to the state along with the state tax. Of the taxes 70% are returned to the town, which is what the $156,624 represents.
Killington voters passed their option tax, including an additional 1% sales and use tax in 2008. The sales and use tax was rescinded by voters effective July 1, 2017.
Mike Solimano, president and general manager of Killington Resort, told the Mountain Times in 2018 that the resort paid $3.9 million in local option taxes between 2008 and 2014. Sales and use taxes comprised $2.6 million of that amount, he added.
