Clarendon sales tax revenue down 15.9%

AUSTIN – City Hall’s sales tax revenue plummeted this month, reflecting a drop in August sales receipts at local businesses, according to information released Friday by Texas Comptroller Susan Combs

Clarendon’s sales tax allocation this month dropped 15.97 percent to $18,576.79. That’s down from $22,109.77 during the same time last year.

The city is still running ahead for the year-to-date by 1.19 percent for a total of $245,553.01.

Hedley’s rebate also fell, dropping 35.21 percent to $286.55. That city is down 1.43 percent for the year-to-date with $5,645.30.

Howardwick, however, was up 18.86 percent with an October allocation of $1,409.91 and is running 12.93 percent ahead for the year-to-date with $12,158.32.

Combs said the state took in $1.68 billion in sales tax in September, a 3.7 percent increase over September 2007.

“Growth in sales tax collections continued at a modest pace in the first month of fiscal 2009,” Combs said. “While growth remains positive overall, sectors such as construction, retail trade and restaurants are showing signs of slowing down.”

Combs sent $452.7 million in monthly sales tax payments to Texas cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts, up 2 percent compared to last October.  So far in calendar year 2008, local sales tax allocations average 6.2 percent higher than last year.

Combs sent sales tax allocations of $305.1 million to Texas cities, 1.4 percent more than October 2007.  Calendar year-to-date, city sales tax allocations are up 5.4 percent.

September state sales tax collections and October allocations of local tax revenue represent sales that occurred in August and were reported to the Comptroller in September.

 The Comptroller’s next local sales tax allocation will be made on Friday, November 7.