YATES COUNTY—Yates County sales tax revenue for 2008 came in over the budget estimate of $8,820,000, by $333,974. However, the $9,153,974 collected was $104,176 less than sales tax collected in 2007. Sales tax revenue grew over the past three years from an increase of $688,335 over 2005 in 2006 and an increase of $513,671 over 2006 in 2007. Budget estimates for 2008 had been conservative with a $220,000 increase from 2007. 

A new revenue source, a room tax of four percent, added approximately $288,000 in 2008 according to Yates County treasurer Bonnie Percy. The room tax, which went into effect Jan. 1, 2008, is charged on hotels, motels, bed and breakfast operations and rental cottages. The income from this tax was earmarked to be shared equally between tourism and the General Fund after administrative charges are subtracted. Mistakes were found in approximately 30 percent of the room tax returns according to Percy. The first year of this tax was also marked with protests against the tax by some lodging owners.