Sales tax revenue declines

 The absence of the pipeline crew that boosted local sales last year continues to be reflected in sales tax revenues for the City of Clarendon.

Texas Comptroller Susan Combs delivered her monthly allocations last week, and the July figure for the city dropped 19.87 percent from $37,876.11 down to $30,347.33, and dropping the city’s year-to-date total 3.68 percent to $223,654.33.

Boosted by the economic mini-boom of visiting pipeline workers, last year’s July allocation was up more than 41 percent compared to the same period in 2012. The city’s allocation this July is 13 percent higher than the $26,853.96 that was received in July 2012.

Hedley’s allocation this month dropped 50.94 percent to $246.07, but that city is still slightly ahead for the calendar year-to-date at $4,132.85, up 1.58 percent.

Howardwick’s figures continue to slide, down 41.99 percent for the month at $948.18 and down 17.47 percent for the year-to-date at $7,801.59.

The sales tax figures for the July allocations represent monthly sales made May.

Combs said that statewide sales tax revenue this month was $2.24 billion, up 3.7 percent compared to 2013.

“Sales tax revenues continue to grow at a moderate pace,” Combs said. “The increase was led by remittances from the wholesale trade, services, and restaurant sectors. Fiscal year-to-date collections have now grown by 5.2 percent.”