By Andy Sevilla.
Kyle and Buda continue their neck-and-neck sales tax revenue battle as both cities experienced 18 percent growth in April, compared to the same month last year, recently released state comptroller figures show.
Though Kyle had a slight edge on the percentage growth – 18.3 percent – Buda brought in more actual dollars.
The state comptroller’s office returned $367,915 to Buda this month in sales tax revenue. The city received $311,777 in the same month in 2013.
So far this year, Buda has collected $1.53 million in sales tax collections, marking an 11.21 percent increase over the same four months in 2013.
Kyle, which is slightly trailing Buda in revenue, collected $320,355 in sales tax revenue this month, the comptroller’s office reported. In April last year, Kyle received $270,778.
From January through April, Kyle received $1.45 million in sales tax collections, a 13.75 percent jump over the $1.27 million it collected during the same reporting period last year.
Niederwald saw the highest revenue percentage growth of any Hays County city this month, when compared to April 2013, the comptroller figures revealed.
Niederwald collected $2,050 this month, a hike of 47.72 percent over the $1,388 it received in sales tax revenue in April last year. So far this year, Niederwald has collected just over $6500.
Not staying behind, Uhland experienced a 45.06 percent sales tax revenue growth. This month, Uhland took in close to $8000 in sales tax allocations, markedly higher than the $5,469 it received in April last year. From January through April, Uhland has collected $31,000.
San Marcos took in the highest actual dollar amount of any other Hays County city. The city received $1.67 million in sales tax collections this month, a 2.87 percent increase over its April 2013 figure.
San Marcos has collected $8.3 million in 2014 payments-to-date, marking a 5.7 percent jump over its $7.84 collection during the same reporting period last year.
The western portion of Hays County also outpaced its April 2013 sales tax collections. Dripping Springs took in just over $100,000 this month, a 10.79 percentage jump over the same month last year.
So far this year, the comptroller’s office has returned $456,000 in sales taxes to Dripping Springs.
Wimberley collected $45,000 in sales taxes this month – a 13.2 percent jump over its April 2013 collection. The city received $207,580 in total sales tax revenue from January through April, a 5.55 percent over the same four months last year.
Hays County, which receives half a penny for every dollar spent in the county, collected $996,776 in sales tax collections this month, so far this year, it has taken in $4.65 million.
Statewide, Comptroller Susan Combs said in a statement that collections from restaurants were strong, but the growth in sales tax revenues was led by businesses spending in oil and natural gas mining, wholesale trade and construction sectors.
April marks 48 consecutive months of growth in sales tax collections statewide, Combs reported. April collections represent sales made in February.
The comptroller returned just under $555 million in April sales tax allocations statewide to cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts.
