With the final sales tax allocations of 2015 from the state being sent this week, both Snyder and Scurry County will see their lowest December totals since 2011 and 2010, respectively.
Comptroller Glenn Hager’s office released the figures Wednesday and both the city and county continued to collect less sales tax revenues than this time a year ago.
The city will receive $250,824 this month, down from $352,707 a year ago, which is a 28.9 percent decrease. For the year, the city received $3.5 million, down 19.5 percent compared to the 2014 total of $4.3 million.
The $3.5 million returned in 2015 was the lowest total since $3.2 million in 2011.
The city’s highest collection came in 2014 when $4.3 million was returned.
The city budgeted $3.1 million in allocations for 2014-15. Since the city’s fiscal year runs from September to August, the city collected $2.7 million during the fiscal year.
For the 2015-16 budget year, the city budgeted $3.034 million.
The county is scheduled to receive $172,921 this month, down 18 percent compared to the December 2014 total of $210,895.
For the calendar year, the county received $1.94 million, down 27.6 percent compared to the 2014 total of $2.68 million.
The 2015 county budget included $2.8 million in sales tax revenues. The 2016 budget includes $2.5 million in sales tax allocations.
The county’s 2015 total was the lowest since $1.868 million was returned in 2011, according to figures provided by Hager’s office.
Snyder and Scurry County were not the only communities to see fewer allocations this year.
Post had the biggest drop in the region for the year at 23.2 percent, followed by Andrews at 12.3 percent.
Colorado City saw an 11.97 percent drop while Lamesa’s allocations were 3.05 percent less.
Sweetwater (3.7 percent), Big Spring (3.7 percent) and Lubbock (3.48 percent) saw growth in allocations. Abilene saw a 0.57 percent gain in allocations.
Hegar will send cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts $626.3 million in local sales tax allocations for December, 3 percent less than December 2014. The allocations are based on sales made in October by businesses that report tax monthly.
Hegar said that sales tax revenue for the state in November was $2.58 billion, down 3.3 percent compared to November 2014.
“Sales tax revenue declined again due to reduced spending in oil and gas-related sectors,” Hegar said. “Remittances from other sectors, including construction, restaurants and retail trade, continued to grow. The net decrease in sales tax receipts is in line with the October Certification Revenue Estimate.”
Image
Body