Kilgore sales tax allocations down 35 percent in October

Kilgore's sales tax allocation check in October dropped by 36 percent and more than $427,000 compared to the same period last year, according to the Texas Comptroller's Office.

This week the city received a check for $670,445.19, down 35.71 percent from the $1,042,867.60 received last October. The city's tax rate is 1.5 percent.

To date, the city has received $8,524,303.84, in sales tax allocations, down 10.43 percent from the same period last year when it received $9,517,678.32.

The state and local sales tax figures represent sales that occurred in August.

Texas Comptroller Susan Combs said Friday the state collected $1.47 billion in sales tax in September, down 12.5 percent compared to a year ago.

“Declining sales tax collections, which began in February, have continued with September’s collections,” Combs said. “Weakness is still evident in all major sectors of the state economy, including oil and natural gas, retail trade, and construction. Decreases in monthly collections are expected to continue through the end of 2009.”

Combs sent local governments $418.5 million in monthly sales tax allocations, a 7.6 percent decrease compared to a year ago. So far this calendar year, local sales tax allocations are down 3.7 percent compared to the same period in 2008.

Combs distributed monthly sales tax allocations of $282.8 million to Texas cities, down 7.3 percent compared to last October. Texas counties received sales tax allocations of $25.5 million, down 10.7 percent compared to a year ago.

Longview received an allocation check for $2,008,195. This is 8.77 percent less than the $2,201,386.49 received this same period last year. Longview's tax rate is also 1.5 percent.

Lakeport's sales tax rebate of $6,511.05 this month is 21.77 percent lower than the $8,323.74 received last October. Lakeport's sales tax rate is 1 percent.

For this reporting period, White Oak is down 18.36 percent with $58,931.68 received this month compared to $72,188.13 in October 2008. The city's sales tax rate is 1.5 percent.

Gladewater's check this month for $57,758.76 is down 25.01 percent from the $77,023.64 earned during the same reporting period last year. Its sales tax rate is also 1.5 percent.

The total allocation to all of the cities within the county, which also includes Clarksville City, Warren City and Easton, is $2,804,893.57, down 17.62 percent from the October 2008 total of $3,405,072.50.

In Henderson, where the sales tax rate is 2 percent, the tax rebate was $305,193.36, down 31.42 percent from the $445,071.84 received during this same period last year.

Overton, with a 1.5 percent tax rate, received a check for $25,772.53, up 2.49 percent from last October’s check for $25,096.97.

Tyler is number 19 on the comptroller's list of Top 20 Texas cities for sales tax revenue earnings. During this payment period, Tyler received $2,442,443.20, down 9.45 percent from the same period last year when the city received a check for $2,697,548.16. The city's sales tax rate is 1.5 percent.

Both Smith and Gregg counties collect sales taxes of .5 percent on retail sales in unincorporated areas. Rusk County does not levy a sales tax in unincorporated areas.

Gregg County sales tax revenues are down 17.44 percent with a sales tax revenue return of $999,845.23 this period, compared to last year’s $1,211,161.44. To date the county’s tax rebate is down 2.85 percent compared the last year.

Smith County received an allocation of $1,280,668.11, up 5.48 percent from the $1,214,051.04 received last October. The county’s total this year is down 6.36 percent compared to last year.

The 153 special purpose taxing districts around the state got $16.7 million in sales tax revenue, a decrease of 1.4 percent compared to a year ago. Ten Texas transit systems received $93.3 million in sales tax, down 8.4 percent compared to a year ago.

For details of October sales tax payments to individual cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose districts, locate the Monthly Sales and Use Tax Allocation Comparison Summary Reports on the Comptroller’s Web site at www.window.state.tx.us/taxi nfo/allocsum/compsum.ht ml.