By Andy Sevilla.
Wimberley and Niederwald experienced negative sales tax growth this month compared to January of last year, according to Texas Comptroller records, though all other Hays County cities had positive outcomes.
Wimberley businesses sold about $6,300 less in November 2013 than they did in November 2012, thus the decline in sales tax collections this month. The comptroller’s office returned $42,391 in sales tax revenues to Wimberley this month; last year the city received $42,454 in January.
Sales tax revenues received this month represent sales reported in November 2013 by monthly tax filers.
Niederwald also had a decline in sales tax revenue this month, when compared to last year’s January figure.
Wimberley and Niederwald, both, collect a one-percent sales tax; voters in each town could approve augmenting that rate by half of one-percent. Hays County collects a 0.05 percent sales tax throughout its boundaries, and the state collects a 6.25 percent sales tax on every taxable purchase.
San Marcos collected the highest sales tax revenue than any other Hays County city this month – bringing in $2.1 million this month, up 7.09 percent from the total it received in January last year.
Buda edged out Kyle in sales tax collections this month, showing strong signs of positive growth. Buda received slightly more than $400,000 in sales tax revenues for January, marking an almost 15 percent increase from its first-month figure last year.
Continuing its upward trend, Kyle received $334,830 in sales tax collections this month – up 16.9 percent from the $286,436 it received in January last year.
Buda, Kyle and Uhland were the only local governments in Hays County to experience double-digit percentage sales tax growth this month, when compared to January last year. Uhland had a 46.7 percent jump in sales taxes this month, the highest percentage growth in the county. The town of about 1,000 residents received $6,788 in sales tax revenue to begin the calendar year.
The county’s incorporated northwest corner, which collects a 1.250 percent sales tax rate, experienced a 6.2 percent growth in revenue this month. Dripping Springs collected $108,101 in sales tax revenue this month, up from the $102,352 it received in January last year.
Hays County also experienced positive growth this month, compared to the same month in 2013. The county took in $1.16 million, up 4.67 percent from its January allocation last year.
Statewide, Texas Comptroller Susan Combs distributed $574 million in monthly sales tax revenues to local governments, an 8.1 percent increase compared to January 2013.
“Consumer spending in retail trade contributed to the latest gain in state sales tax collections,” Combs said in a statement. “Other sectors such as telecommunications also contributed to the monthly growth, and state sales tax revenue has now increased for 45 consecutive months.”
