Spring break income up, drug arrests down at Panama City Beach

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. - Tax revenues were up and drug arrests down during spring break this year in Panama City Beach. <br> <br> This Florida Panhandle resort city annually leads the nation in attracting spring break visitors and 2002 may be no exception, based on tax revenues from hotels and other accommodations <br> <br> March collections were up nearly 8 percent over the same month last year to $693,478, bed-tax collector Ed Brown reported Wednesday. The tax is 3 cents on every dollar. <br> <br> Tourism officials only can estimate a head count based on the tax and other indicators. Last year it was 400,000 to 450,000. <br> <br> Bob Warren, director of the Bay County Tourist Development Council, said Thursday that he expects about a 5 percent increase this year after April numbers are in. <br> <br> Spring break is about six weeks including the first two in April. Warren is afraid April losses due to an early Easter may offset some of the March gains. <br> <br> Sheriff Guy Tunnell cited three reasons for fewer spring break drug arrests during Operation Beach Comber V. <br> <br> &#34;One was the shorter holiday season, two was that the weather was a little cooler and three, we feel the word is getting out that we are not going to tolerate drug activity in Bay County.&#34; <br> <br> About 40 sheriff&#39;s deputies from throughout the state worked under cover as part of a task force that also included Bay County deputies, city police, state beverage agents, federal drug agents and special investigators from nearby Tyndall Air Force Base. <br> <br> They charged 158 defendants with 250 drug counts, down from 191 defendants and 390 counts last year, Tunnell said. <br> <br>