Providence, R.I. -- The Rhode Island Department of Revenue today released its FY 2018 Local 1.0 Percent Meal and Beverage Tax Collections Report for June 2018. The Local 1.0 Percent Meal and Beverage Tax Collections Report compares the collections from the state's local 1.0 percent meal and beverage tax on a month-to-month, year-over-year, and fiscal year-to-date over fiscal year-to-date basis. The local 1.0 percent meal and beverage tax is collected on the sale of a meal and/or beverage that is prepared away from home. The data contained in the report is for the month in which the meal and beverage sales activity occurred. The receipts generated from this activity were paid to the Division of Taxation the month following the sales activity and distributed to the municipalities the month after receipt by the Division of Taxation.
Highlights from the report as noted by Director of Revenue Mark A. Furcolo were: • Month-to-month decrease in local 1.0 percent meal and beverage tax collections was modest at 3.4 percent, above the month-to-month decrease of 14.0 percent recorded in June 2017; • The year-over-year increase in local 1.0 percent meal and beverage tax collections for June 2018 of 9.3 percent was significantly better than the 3.8 percent year-over-year growth rate posted in June 2017; • FY 2018 year-to-date growth through June of 9.7 percent is nearly four times the FY 2017 year-to-date growth rate recorded in June 2017 of 2.5 percent. Director Furcolo stated that "local 1.0 percent meal and beverage tax collections decline on a month-to-month basis in June 2018, as was the case in June 2017, but year-over-year and fiscal year-to-date over fiscal year-to-date growth rates both eclipsed 9.0 percent, a strong performance."
The entire report can be found on the Department of Revenue's web site at http://www.dor.ri.gov/revenue-analysis/2018.php under the Local Reports tab. The full report includes the break down by municipality of local meal and beverage tax collections on a month-to-month, year-over-year, and fiscal year-to-date over fiscal year-to-date basis.
Questions or comments on the report should be directed to Paul Grimaldi, Chief of Information and Public Relations by e-mail at paul.grimaldi@revenue.ri.gov or by phone at (401) 574-8766.