State sales tax data reviewed by the Common Sense Institute of Colorado shows sales tax revenue increased by $1.6 billion between 2023 and 2024.
When adjusted for population and inflation, however, that number decreased to a $3 billion shortfall.
Sales tax revenue is declining in more than half of Colorado’s counties
The new numbers show Denver is far from the only city in the state facing a budget shortfall, which has forced city leadership to consider substantial layoffs.
According to the analysis, all front range counties saw a decline in sales tax revenue by these amounts:
- Adams: -2.8%
- Arapahoe: -2.5%
- Boulder: -2.3%
- Broomfield: -7.5%
- Douglas: -2.4%
- Jefferson: -1.2%
- Larimer: -0.8%
- Weld: -3.4%
What’s more, sales tax revenue as a percentage of total tax revenue is lower than it was before the COVID-19 pandemic…