Kilgore in excellent economic position

Kilgore deposited another sales tax allocation check this week that topped the milliondollar mark. This check was the first allocation of the new fiscal year.

"It is wonderful to have a solid good number starting off the fiscal year," said Lawanna Williams, assistant financial officer to the city. "The city is in an excellent economic position."

The city received an allocation of $1,042,867.60 this month which is up 28.96 percent from the $808,636.62 received in October of last year. For the calendar year to date, the city has received $9,517,678.32, which is 19.67 percent more than the year-todate total in this same reporting period last year.

Henderson — where the sales tax rate is half a percent higher than in Kilgore — received a check for $445,072 up 27.80 percent above the $348,250 received during this same period last year. Henderson's year-todate allocation total is up by 12.16 percent over last year's year-to-date total of $3,670,896. The city's year-todate total thus far in fiscal 2008 is $4,117,312.

Longview received an allocation check for $2,201,386. This allocation is 7.59 percent above the allocation of $2,046,066 received this same period last year. Longview's year-to-date allocation total is $23,342,920, up 4.86 percent over year-to-date totals of $22,260,318 at this time last year.

Tyler remains at number 19 on the comptroller's list of top 20 Texas cities for sales tax revenue earnings. During this payment period, Tyler received $2,697,548, down a fraction from this payment period last year when the city received a check for $2,697,840. Year to date Tyler has received $31,085,262 — 7.76 percent more than last year's year-todate total of $28,845,583 — at this same time.

Lakeport's sales tax rebate of $8,324 this month is 17 percent higher than the $7,114 received last October. Year-to-date, the city of Lakeport has received $97,705, up 46.12 percent over year-to-date totals of $66,862, from this same period last year.

For this reporting period, White Oak is up 11.43 percent above earnings this same period last year of $81,961 to $91,333 this period. Year-to-date, White Oak has received $640,062, up 1.84 percent above the year-todate total of $628,488 reported last August.

Gladewater's check this month for $77,024 is 1.43 percent above the $75,935 earned this same reporting period last year. Year to date the city of Gladewater has received $827,479 in sales tax revenue allocations, up 6.37 percent from the year-to-date total of $777,868 at this time last year.

Gregg County sales tax revenues are up 1.21 percent with a sales tax revenue return of $1,385,090 this period. In the same period last year, the county received $1,368,529. Year-todate sales tax revenue allocation totals for Gregg County are $9,628,830, up 3.95 percent over year-to-date totals of $9,262,150 at this time last year.

Smith County received an allocation of $1,214,051, down 3.06 percent from the $1,252,498 received at this time last year. Year to date the county has received $13,575,955, up 9.43 percent from year-to-date allocation totals in October of last year of $12,406,007.

Both counties collect sales taxes on retail sales in un-incorporated areas. Rusk County does not levy a sales tax.

September state sales tax revenue and October allocations to local governments represent sales taxes collected in August by businesses that report sales taxes monthly.

The comptroller's next sales tax allocation will be made on Friday, Nov. 14.