By Andy Sevilla
Buda experienced the highest sales tax growth — 40 percent — of any other local government in Hays County this month, according to recently released state comptroller data.
The Texas Comptroller’s Office returned $453,300 in sales tax revenues to Buda this month, the city’s highest September sales tax payment ever.
Last September, Buda received $321,700. So far this calendar year, the city has received $3.569 million in sales tax revenues.
Only $25,000 separates Buda’s and Kyle’s year-to-date sales tax revenues for 2014. From January through September, Kyle has received a total $3.544 million.
Kyle also received its highest September sales tax payment ever this month when the comptroller’s office returned $374,200 in revenues to the city. Last September, Kyle took in $312,900.
San Marcos, the county seat and largest city, received $2.155 million sales tax revenues this month, an 8.9 percent jump over its $1.979 million allocation last September.
So far this year, San Marcos has received $18.217 million in sales tax revenues. The city’s outlet malls account for a large portion of those funds.
In the county’s far east, Uhland saw a near 31 percent improvement this month over its sales tax allocation last September. Uhland took in $10,200 in sales tax revenues for September. In the same month last year, Uhland received $7,800.
So far this year, Uhland has collected $76,500.
Niederwald also experienced double-digit growth this month. The town took in $2,000 in sales tax revenues for September, up 20.9 percent over its $1,700 allocation during the same month last year.
To the west, Dripping Springs experienced a near-20 percent increase in sales tax collections this month over the same month last year. Dripping Springs received $133,300 in sales tax revenues this month. Last September, the town took in $111,400.
The comptroller’s office returned $55,500 in sales tax collections to Wimberley this month, a 23.8 percent hike over its $44,800 allocation last September. Year-to-date, Wimberley has collected just over half-a-million dollars in sales tax revenues.
In the unincorporated areas of Hays, the county collected $1.27 million in sales tax revenues this month, marking a 15.3 percent increase over its $1.1 million allocation last September.
So far this year, Hays County has collected $10.616 million in sales tax revenues. Hays County collects five percent of every sale made within its borders.
Statewide, Texas Comptroller Susan Combs is distributing $628 million in sales tax revenues to cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts this month.
“The latest monthly gains were led by remittances from the oil and natural gas, wholesale trade and retail trade sectors,” Combs said in a statement.
The state’s fiscal year 2014 ended with total collections at $27.27 billion, up 5.5 percent over the previous year, Combs said.
“Growth in both business and consumer spending fostered the gains for the year,” she said.
