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Aurora July sales tax up 13.8%, city analysts say growth driven by two one‑time payments
Summary
City budget analyst Bill Levine told the Finance Committee that July sales tax collections were $28.4 million, 13.8% higher than July 2024, but much of the increase came from two one‑time catch‑up payments; most sectors showed declines and use tax remained weak.
At a Finance Committee meeting, Bill Levine, an analyst in the budget office, reported that July sales tax collections for the City of Aurora totaled $28,400,000, 13.8% more than July 2024. Levine told committee members two large, atypical remittances accounted for the bulk of the growth.
Levine said one large taxpayer that had not been remitting recently made a substantial payment in July, and a second, smaller payment followed. "In total, those two companies accounted for about 60% of the growth in sales tax," he said. Levine characterized the payments as one‑time "catch up" payments rather than signs of broad consumer spending increases.
The analyst said the apparent strength in July was concentrated: nine of 15 business sectors tracked by the budget office saw declines in July. He also reported that use tax collections remained "really poor" for the month and that audit recoveries were unusually strong. Levine said he was more confident the city will meet or slightly exceed the 2025 sales tax and general fund projections but that the one‑time nature of certain receipts did not change the outlook for 2026.
Council member Coombs and other committee members asked for sector detail. Levine said his auto sector—which aggregates new and used dealers, parts, rental and repair—was down about 5% in July, and that new and used auto dealers specifically were down 5% as well. Committee members asked whether Levine could disclose the identities of the companies making the large payments; Levine said he did not believe he was supposed to do so.
Levine also noted continuing weakness in capital‑related use taxes (including building materials) and said revenue patterns from July should be treated as qualified: strong for 2025 but not necessarily indicative of a sustained trend into 2026.
Committee members asked about out‑of‑state vehicle purchases and whether use tax would apply; Levine said he believed use tax applied but that he did not know definitively and would look into it. No formal action was taken on the sales tax presentation, which the committee received as informational.
