Published: January 12, 2009 09:31 am      

Sales tax allocated

Parker County growth holds at modest 3 percent

AUSTIN — Comptroller Susan Combs announced late last week the state collected $1.86 billion in sales tax revenue in December, up 2 percent compared to December 2007.

“State sales tax collections have grown 3.9 percent for the first four months of state fiscal year 2009,” Combs said. “Growth in overall collections has slowed compared to recent years, while remittances from key sectors such as construction and retail trade have declined.” 

Parker County municipalities garnered more than $1.1 million in sales tax revenue from the state, a jump of more than 3 percent over 2007 totals.

Some cities in the county showed only slight growth or even a mild downward tick. Weatherford’s $681,000 from the comptroller’s office reflected a modest 1.29 percent boost from a year ago. Willow Park’s $51,230 check showed a slight downward bump from January 2007’s $51,273.

Dennis Clayton, executive director of Weatherford Economic Development Authority, said the growth, while minimal, is still on the plus side.

“Last month we were growing at about 2.2 percent,” he said. “Obviously that percentage is lower, but the good news is it’s still positive.”

Clayton said he expects next month to be even lower before a rebound will most likely occur.

“In February, I can see growth being flat or even negative,” he said. “But in another month or two, we’ll start seeing grocers selling beer and wine. That should help us show an increase in sales taxes, for sure.”

Also along the I-20 corridor in Parker County, Hudson Oaks’ sales tax revenue, more than $126,000, showed an almost 5 percent increase over a year ago.

Extremes in the county range from a jump of 24 percent over last year in Aledo, to Springtown’s 8 percent drop in the same time frame.

Combs sent cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts their first sales tax allocations of 2009 — $459.2 million, up 2.4 percent compared to January 2008.

Combs sent January sales tax allocations of $309.9 million to Texas cities, up 2.2 percent compared to January 2008. Texas counties received sales tax payments of $29 million, up 8.2 percent compared to last January.

In addition, $18.3 million went to 148 special purpose taxing districts around the state, up 23.5 percent compared to last January. Ten local transit systems received $101.9 million in sales tax allocations, down 1.4 percent compared to a year ago.

December state sales tax collections and January allocations to local governments represent sales that occurred in November.

For details of January sales tax payments to individual cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose districts, locate the Monthly Sales Tax Allocation Comparison Summary Reports on the Comptroller’s Web site at www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/allocsum/compsum.html.

The Comptroller’s next sales tax allocation will be made on Friday, Feb. 13.