The city of Santa Barbara received $7.3 million in sales tax revenue during the quarter ended Sept. 30, 2024, the first quarter of the city’s fiscal year.

Year-to-date, total sales tax revenues are about 11.0% below budget. For Fiscal Year 2025, the city’s sales tax revenue budget is $31.2 million.

Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT): The city of Santa Barbara collected $2.5 million in TOT for November 2024, the fifth month in the city’s fiscal year.

Year-to-date, the city has collected $17.3 million in overall TOT, of which some $15.2 million came from hotels and $2.1 million from short-term rentals. Year-to-date, total TOT revenues are coming in 1.4% above budget.

The TOT is a tax on “transient” guests staying in any hotel, inn, motel, or other commercial lodging establishment for a period of less than 30 days.

The city’s adopted TOT budget for all funds is $34.5 million, of which $28.7 million is budgeted in the General Fund.

The TOT tax rate is 12.0%, of which 10.0% goes to the city’s General Fund and the remaining 2.0% goes to the Creeks/Clean Water Fund.

View the Sales Tax and TOT tables here.

For more current and historical financial data, visit the City’s Budget & Reporting webpage.