May sales taxes clinch another full $650,000 influx for QGF
July 14, 2025 | North Platte Telegraph
 
North Platte’s dedicated economic development fund will get a full annual infusion for the fifth straight year based on May sales tax figures from the Nebraska Department of Revenue.
 
Meanwhile, the 4% Lincoln County lodging tax for tourism promotion started a new county and state fiscal year by setting a new May record of $128,956. The old mark was set in 2023.
 
The city’s combined 2% sales tax netted just over $1.43 million for the month, 3.1% below last year’s all-time monthly high of $1.476 million but 11.5% more than the city’s April total.
 
The May intake easily covered the rest of the maximum $650,000 available to the Quality Growth Fund in any year that total net sales tax collections surpass a preset “trigger point.”
 
That threshold remains based on North Platte’s permanent 1.5% city sales tax. The city has been temporarily collecting an extra 0.5% since April 2023 to cover $52.5 million in recreation upgrades that voters approved in 2022.
 
With QGF’s full 2024-25 contribution assured, 100% of each month’s sales tax proceeds will again go to North Platte’s general fund until and after the city fiscal year ends Sept. 30.
 
The Revenue Department typically takes about six weeks after each month ends to process and return local sales tax and hotel-motel tax proceeds. The state retains 3% of gross taxes to cover its administrative costs.
 
Next month’s report will offer an initial look at summer 2025 tourism through net sales and lodging taxes for June, North Platte’s annual “festival month” that features the Miss Nebraska and Miss Rodeo Nebraska contests and Nebraskaland Days.