Pueblo has sharp increase in sales tax revenue

People are spending more money in Pueblo.

The city manager said the sales tax revenue is up about seven percent through Oct. 2015.

That’s a $2 million increase from Oct. 2014.

The contributing factors include increased hiring and low gas prices.

Coffee shop owner Mike Hartkop said his profits soared 20 percent in 2015.

“It’s really rewarding. We’ve been here almost 10 years and it was really tough for the first five years and it’s still tough and it’s starting to look like things are starting to work out in our favor,”Hartkop said.

The sales tax is 3.5 percent in Pueblo.