Three-quarters of the way through the calendar year, Hays County municipalities saw a wide disparity in monthly sales tax allocations from the Texas Comptroller’s Office.
All of the county’s 10 taxing municipalities showed an increase over the allocation issued in October 2018; and nine of them are ahead in year-to-date payments.
Kyle received an October allocation of $721,981.62, representing an increase of 16.67 percent over the $618,822.18 received last October. Buda received an October allocation of $645,019.17, up only .73 percent from last October.
The city of Kyle received an October allocation of $721,981.62, representing an increase of 16.67 percent over the $618,822.18 received last October. So far this year, Kyle has received $7,253,138.16 in sales tax allocations, an increase of 10.74 percent compared to the first 10 months of 2018. Kyle’s sales tax rate is 1.5 percent.
Diana Torres, director of Economic Development for Kyle, said the city has been seeing “significant sales tax growth” for quite some time. “As the commercial opportunities expand, along with the city’s population, it is nature for Kyle’s sales tax revenues to grow. We also hope that folks are seeing the importance of shopping local — when purchases are made here, the city retains a portion of the sales tax.”
Torres also reminded residents they can view sales tax reports online.
The city of Buda, meanwhile, received an October allocation of $645,019.17, up only .73 percent from October 2018, when the city received $640,315,24. In year-to-date payments, however, the city is up 9.87 percent, having received $6,287.145.15, compared to the $5,722,069.42 received during the first 10 months of last year. Buda’s sales tax rate is 1.5 percent.
Buda’s Director of Finance June Ellis said retail — in particular along Interstate 35 — is the city’s primary driver of sales taxes. “That’s been increasing over the last couple of years,” he said, adding that the trend is likely to continue with more stores, restaurants and fast food outlets going in, increasingly on the east side of the interstate. Ellis said the October monthly allocation is usually low. “For the last 12 months, we’ve seen an average month over month increase of about 12 percent,” he said. The year-to-date average is truer to form, he said, which has been about 10 percent per year.
Buda city spokesman David Marino added that with the opening of the Scott & White hospital, medical businesses such as pharmacies are likely to see an expansion coming.
Dripping Springs, meanwhile, saw a 21.19 percent increase in its monthly allocation, which was $232,001.87 this year, compared to $191,425.27 in 2018. Allocations to Dripping Springs for the year total $2,285,266.57, which is an increase of 19.63 percent over the $1,910.124.39 for the first 10 months of last year. Dripping Springs’ sales tax rate is a 1.25 percent.
Wimberley’s monthly increase was 10.15 percent, with the city receiving $74,245.91, compared to $67,411.41 in October of 2018. For the first 10 months of this year, allocations to Wimberley have totaled $785,109.90, a 4.35 percent jump over the $752,315.71 received by this time last year. Wimberley’s sales tax rate is 1 percent.
Elsewhere in the county:
• Hays City: Monthly allocation $1,220.55, up 105.18 percent over $594.86 received in October 2018. Year-to-date payments total $16,545.86, up 22.16 percent. Hays City’s sales tax rate is 1 percent.
• Mountain City: Monthly allocation $2,000.55, up 93.80 percent over $1,031.77 received in October 2018. Year-to-date payments total $13,896.43, down 9.61 percent. Mountain City’s sales tax rate is 1 percent.
• Niederwald: Monthly allocation $5,091.03, up 54.49 percent over $3,295.28 received in October 2018. Year-to-date payments total $41,484.90, up 29.61 percent. Niederwald’s sales tax rate is 1 percent.
• San Marcos: Monthly allocation $3,275,157.36, up 8.91 percent over $3,007,066.61 received in October 2018. Year-to-date payments total $31,806,711.07, up 6.67 percent. San Marcos’ sales tax rate is 1.5 percent.
• Uhland: Monthly allocation $19,867.19, up 18.70 percent over $16,736.58 received in October 2018. Year-to-date payments total $190,850.03, up 8.18 percent. Uhland’s sales tax rate is 1.5 percent.
• Woodcreek: Monthly allocation $5,349.35, up 29.67 percent. Year-to-date payments total $49,895.34, up 14.42 percent. Woodcreek’s sales tax rate is 1 percent.
