By CHARLES RICHARDS
EParisExtra!
Hotel occupancy taxes are up 9.91 percent from last year, finance director Gene Anderson says in his monthly report to the Paris City Council comparing the city?s revenue to a year ago.
The report, which the council will receive tonight, says all Paris hotels are current on their occupancy taxes except for La Quinta.
As of Aug. 14, La Quinta has paid the bulk of its obligation for the second quarter of 2011, but remains delinquent for the first, third and fourth quarters of last year, according to Anderson?s report.
Anderson said he and city attorney Kent McIlyer met on Feb. 7, 2012, with the hotel?s owner and manager, who promised to pay $3,000 per month on the back taxes and stay current on future occupancy taxes.
?At this rate, it will take approximately 15 months for them to pay the back tax due,? Anderson said.
La Quinta made its first $3,000 payments on schedule, but missed its sixth $3,000 payment that was due on Aug. 15, Anderson said.
The hotel is also now delinquent on its second quarter 2012 taxes, Anderson said.
On other city revenue, he reported:
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Sales taxes are up 0.62 percent ($30,356).
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Franchise fees are up 5.35 percent.
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Permit fees are up 45.75 percent.
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Municipal court fines are up 15.89 percent.
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Sanitation fees are down 0.72 percent ($8,820).
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Emergency Medical Service fees are down 3.42 percent.
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Mixed beverage tax collection is down 25.3 percent ($14,650).
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Recreation program fees are up $7,249.
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Total general fund revenues are up 0.21 percent from a year ago. Total general fund expenditures are up 2.86 percent.
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Sewer revenue is up 7.88 percent from a year ago because of the rate increase the council approved ini June.
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Water revenue is down 2.63 percent.
Ten months into the 2011-2012 fiscal year (83.3%), here is the expenditure report of various departments:
City council has spent 86.49 percent of its yearly budget. The overage of $3,813 is due to the fees paid to SGR for the city manager search.
The police department has spent 85.6 percent of its budget. The overage amounts to $122,286 and is primarily due to unemployment claims, overtime, and the retirement payouts of several employees.
EMS has spent 89.3 percent of its budget. The overage is $133,878 and is primarily due to overtime, fuel, medical supplies, and the purchase of a new ambulance.
Cox Field Airport has spent 91.1 percent of its budget. The overage amounts to $13,2723 and is due to the grant match payment to TxDot and a water leak.
Paris Band has spent 101.66 percent of its budget. The overage amounts to $3,821 and is due to payments of band members.
The city warehouse has spent 85.9 percent of its budget. The overage amounts to $2,778 and is due to building maintenance, utilities and the purchase of a refrigerator for the break room.
The wastewater treatment plant has spent 84.98 percent of its budget. The overage is due to chemical costs, sludge removal, and maintenance of pumps and motors.
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Charles Richards moved to Paris in 2004 after retiring from a 40-year career in journalism ? the last 26 years as a news writer and sports writer with The Associated Press in Dallas and Washington, D.C. In mid-2004, The Paris News coaxed him out of retirement, and he began covering the police, court and regional beat for The Paris News. Then in early 2005, he was switched to coverage of a sharply divided Paris City Council. He was appointed by the City Council in 2006 to the 12-member City Charter Review Commission, which extensively rewrote the outmoded document. His writing awards include two first-place awards in statewide competition for feature writing. The most recent was his 2005 story on a Paris doctor?s startling use of leeches in a successful attempt to re-attach a man?s severed ear. Over his career, Richards? interview subjects include Alabama Gov. George Wallace, President Bill Clinton, President George W. Bush, David Koresh, Arnold Palmer, Muhammad Ali and numerous other political and sports figures. He is an alumnus of Texas Tech, where he was editor of the school newspaper. He lives in Paris with his wife, Barbara, who is retired after 30 years as a teacher and high school counselor.
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