Clarendon sales tax revenue up nearly 7 percent

Sales tax revenue continues to climb for the City of Clarendon according to figures released by the state comptroller’s office.

Clarendon received an allocation of $33,908.49 this month, up 6.98 percent from the same period one year ago.

The city is now 12.59 percent ahead for the calendar year-to-date with sales tax revenue of $143,201.99 compared to $127,182.88 last year.

City Hall said higher fuel prices and increased car sales are likely the cause of the higher sales tax figures.

Texas Comptroller Susan Combs said statewide sales tax revenue in April was $1.87 billion, up 11.4 percent compared to April 2010.

“This is the 13th straight month in which state sales tax revenue has increased,” Combs said. 

“Business spending in sectors such as the oil and gas industry helped boost sales tax collections. Tax revenue from retail spending also showed growth.”

Howardwick’s sales tax revenue is also up slightly this month with an allocation of $670.38, up 3.08 percent from the same period last year.  That city is up 4.6 percent for the year-to-date at $4,941.81.

Hedley was down 4.14 percent with a May allocation of $894.64 and is down 2.44 percent for the year so far at $3,102.90.

Across the state, Combs distributed $600.1 million in local sales tax allocations on Friday, May 13, up 5.8 percent compared to May 2010. Combs sent May sales tax allocations of $403.4 million to Texas cities, up 4.7 percent compared to May 2010.  Calendar year-to-date, city sales tax allocations are up 6.2 percent compared to the same period last year. 

The sales tax allocations to local governments represent March sales reported by monthly tax filers and January, February and March sales reported by quarterly tax filers.

The next sales tax payment will be June 10.