Published: June 15, 2009 08:23 am      

Combs sends $441 million in sales tax rebates

Weatherford area showing slight growth

AUSTIN — Texas Comptroller Susan Combs announced that the state collected $1.77 billion in sales tax revenue in May, a 5.2 percent decrease compared to May 2008.

“Weakness throughout most sectors of the economy resulted in a significant decrease in May sales tax collections,” Combs said. “While year-to-date sales tax revenue is up 0.5 percent for state fiscal 2009, further declines are expected this year.”

Parker County cities are trending down less than a percent for the year, but nearly 8 percent for June.

Municipalities within the county drew $991,000 from the Comptroller’s June checks, down from $1.07 million in 2008.

Weatherford is clinging to slim growth over last year’s numbers. The Parker County seat pulled in $660,000 in June revenue, $2000 ahead of the dame time period in 2008. For the year, Weatherford has been issued rebates totaling $4.33 million, up more than a percent.

Mirroring its neighbor to the west, Hudson Oaks posted slight growth in June with a check from the comptroller in the amount of $107,515. Sales taxes in Hudson Oaks are .28 percent ahead of last June. Year-to-date tax revenue is nearing $700,000, more than 1.3 percent ahead of 2008.

Willow Park took in more than $37,000 in June, down 15 percent from a year ago, while slipping 2.64 percent for the year.

Aledo is down less than a percentage point for the month, but its combined $205,000 reflects more than 27 percent in sales tax growth in the last 12 months.

Springtown’s year-to-date total, $340,000, shows a 26 percent dip in sales activity.

Combs sent cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts $441.1 million in June local sales tax allocations, down 3.9 percent compared to last June.

Combs sent June sales tax allocations of $297 million to Texas cities, down 3 percent compared to June 2008. So far this calendar year, city sales tax allocations are down 0.5 percent compared to the same time period last year. Texas counties received sales tax payments of $26.4 million, down 6.9 percent compared to last June. So far this year, sales tax allocations to counties remain up 2.7 percent compared to 2008.

In addition, $17.1 million went to 150 special purpose taxing districts around the state, down 0.9 percent compared to last June. Ten local transit systems received $100.4 million in sales tax allocations, down 6 percent compared to a year ago.

June’s sales tax allocations represent sales that occurred in April.

For details of June 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, July 10.