City’s sales tax down for month, up for year

The first full month of alcohol sales are included in Clarendon’s sales tax revenue for this month after Texas Comptroller Susan Combs delivered May allocations last week.

Compared to last year, the city is down 7.12 percent at $39,429.81 this month, but, as local retailers remember, 2013 was an unusual year with an influx of pipeline workers to Clarendon, which sent sales soaring. As a result, last year’s May allocation was a 23.43 percent jump over the same period in 2012.

This year’s May figure is up 14.6 percent over what Clarendon received for the same period two years ago.

May sales tax allocations represent monthly sales made in March as well as January, February and March sales by businesses that report taxes quarterly. Package sales of alcohol began in Clarendon on February 20. Sales in local restaurants began March 18.

Clarendon sales tax figures are up for the calendar year-to-date by 1.5 percent at $161,163.66.

In Hedley, sales tax figures are up 11.87 percent at $838.71 this month and up 12.93 percent for the year at $3,576.46.

Howardwick sales tax revenue is down 0.64 percent at $1,293.07 for May and down 2.66 percent to $5,879.60 for the year-to-date.

Combs said that state sales tax revenue in April was $2.27 billion, up 5.6 percent compared to April 2013.

“Growth in sales tax revenue was spurred by increases in the telecommunications sector and services sector,” Combs said.

“Increased business spending in the wholesale trade sector also contributed to the latest monthly gain. This marks 49 consecutive months of growth in sales tax collections.”