Nathan Straus
Jacksonville Daily Progress
JACKSONVILLE —
The latest sales tax revenue numbers from the Texas comptroller’s office have Jacksonville leaders disappointed.
Jacksonville is down 0.4 percent over last year’s sales tax revenue figure of $220,250.93, bringing in $219,363.04 to represent sales made in July; the first month alcohol became widely available in the city.
“I’m surprised,” said Jacksonville Mayor Robert Haberle. “After hearing what the merchants told me about how their gross sales have really improved so much, I’m surprised.”
Jacksonville is, to date, at 8.15 percent below the 2009-to-date number of $2,381,213.52 in sales tax revenue.
The total is $2,187,015.04.
This brings the county monthly total to $282,742.79, a 0.33 percent increase from last year’s September total of $281,809.36.
To date, Cherokee County is down 4.61 percent at $2,903,272.47 from $3,043,837.24.
“We may just be lagging behind,” Haberle said. “Not all of our stores had alcohol in July, but it is what it is. We are essentially flat.”
Haberle said he still anticipates a positive impact from students returning to Jacksonville colleges and beer and wine sales to show in coming months.
“We’ve got to be heading toward positive territory,” Haberle said.
Jacksonville Economic Development Corporation President Darrell Prcin said the number is lower than he thought it would be.
“Hopefully these numbers will improve in the August and September sales tax numbers,” Prcin said of upcoming allocation releases.
Prcin added some retail outlets might traditionally delay their sales tax returns until the end of each quarter and also said August’s numbers may dip slightly thanks to Tax-free Weekend.
New Summerfield was down as well; a 1.39 percent decrease from $1,348.17 to $1,329.43. To date, the city is up 4.43 percent to $13,043.03 from $12,489.18.
Cuney dropped sharply this month. The city experienced a fall of 57.01 percent to $5,214.24 from $12,130.58. To date Cuney is down 29.14 percent from $110,830.39 to $78,532.32.
Alto is up, however, at a 55.18 percent increase from $5,656.58 to $8,778.17 To date Alto is up 47.01 percent to $97,079.13 from $66,033.85.
Wells and Rusk are up as well.
Wells is up 28.55 percent at $2,239.44 compared to $1,741.98 last year, but down 24.87 percent at $18,267.78 versus $24,316.27 to date.
Rusk’s increase is 12.62 percent from $40,681.12 to $45,818.47. To date the city is up 13.44 from $448,954.03 to $509,335.17.
