Autos lead gains in FoCo sales, use taxes

FORT COLLINS – Sales of vehicles and vehicle repairs were the driving force behind a 14.5 percent increase in sales- and use-tax collections in 2014 over the previous year, according to figures from the city of Fort Collins.

The $126 million collected last year exceeded the city’s own budget projections by $17.6 million. Sales and use taxes account for nearly half of the money the city has each year to pay for such things as administration, public safety and parks.

Sales tax collected in December showed an 8.7 percent increase from December 2013, and the total marked an 8.4 percent increase year…