RAPID CITY, SD — Rapid City has collected more than $59.1 million in total sales tax receipts for the first two-thirds – the first eight months – of 2025. The total is 3.18 percent higher, or nearly $1.82 million more than collections for the first eight months of 2024 ($57.28 million).
For the traditional summer months of June, July and August, the City set a record for the three-month summer period, surpassing $25 million in sales tax receipt collections ($25,010,95), nearly $1 million more than the summer period in 2024 ($24,053,977).
For August, the sales tax receipts totaled more than $8.28 million, a record for sales tax collections for any August month on record and the third consecutive month with sales tax receipts topping $8 million.
Receipt totals were higher across various categories over the collections from the same January through August period last year, including tourism (3.45 percent higher), general fund (3.25 percent higher) and Vision Fund (3.07 percent higher).
“August totals held steady with July’s totals and our numbers for the summer season were higher than anticipated,” said City Finance Director Daniel Ainslie. “In all categories, we are seeing higher totals over the first eight months. Obviously we hope the trends continue.”
The 2025 January through August sales tax report will be shared at Wednesday’s Legal and Finance Committee meeting.
Among findings in the 2025 report through August:
• Receipts through August of 2025 totaled more than $27.46 million in general fund sales tax, a record for sales tax receipts for the first eight months of the year in the classification, and a 3.25 percent jump over the sales tax receipts total of $26.59 million for the same period in 2024. For the month of August, the general two percent sales tax collected was 0.53 percent higher than collections in the same category for August in 2024. The general fund sales tax collection trend is 0.5 percent higher than budgeted. The general fund provides the revenue needed to support police, fire, library, parks, recreation and other needs.
• The report also reflects the tourism sales tax collected in the first eight months of 2025 was more than $4.25 million, representing a 3.45 percent increase over the eight months of 2024. The tourism sales tax for August was 2.12 percent higher than collections in August 2024.
• Sales receipts for the first two-thirds of 2025 also included more than $15.88 million in Capital Improvement Fund sales tax, an increase of 3.07 percent over the CIP sales tax receipts from the January through August period in 2024. The Capital Improvement Fund provides funding for various scheduled infrastructure upgrades including road reconstruction, road overlays, park enhancements, community center upgrades, etc.
• Sales over the eight months of this year also generated more than $11.5 million in Vision Fund sales tax, a 3.07 percent increase or $342,886 higher when compared to the first eight months of 2024. The Vision Fund provides funding for legacy projects which propel quality of living and quality of place facilities such as The Monument, Roosevelt Swim Center, etc.
• Collections have also increased in 60 of 63 months since a three-month decrease experienced during the COVID restriction period (March-May 2020).