Tourist Development Tax collections were down by 5.3 percent in January when compared to January 2018, according to recent data published by Sarasota County Tax Collector Barbara Ford-Coates. The decline follows a drop of 0.3 percent last December, a 5.9 percent drop last November and a 12 percent drop last October. The Tourist Development Tax (popularly known as a “bed tax”) is a 5 percent charge on revenue from rentals that last six months or less. The revenue is used to promote tourism, maintain beaches, support the arts and more. In January, the tax collector’s office collected almost $2.5 million in Tourist Development Tax revenue, compared to more than $2.6 million in January 2018.