PROVIDENCE – Local 1 percent meal and beverage tax collections grew 1.8 percent year over year in January, and 1.6 percent when comparing the first seven months of the fiscal year with the prior fiscal period, the R.I. Department of Revenue said Monday.
Local 1 percent meal and beverage tax collections climbed to $1.7 million in January from $1.67 million in January 2016, an increase the department described as “modest,” but well below 7.5 percent growth experienced from January 2015 to January 2016.
Year over year, Glocester and New Shoreham had the largest percentage increases in local 1 percent meal and beverage tax collections at 114.1 percent, while Scituate and Narragansett had the largest percentage decreases at 31.7 percent and 27.8 percent, respectively.
South Kingstown had the largest nominal increase in collections over the year at $31,699, while Providence had the largest nominal decrease at $41,198.
Local 1 percent meal and beverage tax collections grew to $15.4 million in the fiscal period through January from $15.1 million in the previous fiscal period. While the agency noted collections increased, again they lagged the 7.7 percent increase experienced from fiscal 2015 to fiscal 2016.
East Greenwich had the largest percentage increase over the fiscal year at 34.1 percent, while Scituate had the largest percentage decrease at 32 percent.
East Greenwich also had the largest nominal increase over the fiscal year at $135,792, while Smithfield had the largest nominal decrease at $29,249, the DOR said.