Sales tax revenues up in county, slightly lower in city

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October 16, 2012

Sales tax revenues up in county, slightly lower in city

Jo Anne Embleton Jacksonville Daily Progress The Jacksonville Daily Progress Tue Oct 16, 2012, 08:43 AM CDT

JACKSONVILLE — Sales tax revenues reported this month for August were a mixed bag for Jacksonville and Cherokee County.

There is a two month turn-around from the time consumers spend money to when the city and the county receives reports of these revenues.

The State Comptroller's Office reported Cherokee County generated $127,163.69 in sales tax revenue in August, an increase of $3,847.77, or 3.12 percent higher, than last year's figure of $123,315.92.

Cherokee County has a one-half (0.5) percent taxable purchase rate that is considered a “county property tax relief” tax which helps alleviate taxpayers' burden by allowing them to pay less on their annual tax bill assessed by the county. The funds then go into the county's budget for general operating expenses, said County Judge Chris Davis.

“We've been so pleased, considering the state of the economy, that state sales tax revenues are rising” for some entities, he said. “It's a pretty good signal that we're doing better here than in other parts of the country – our economy is still moving and growing, and I think that something we can be proud of.”

The City of Jacksonville didn't fare as well, receiving $248,025.61 this month from purchases made during the month of August.

“The amount fluctuates throughout the year for different reasons,” said City Finance Director Freddy Thomas. “In February, we see a large increase in revenue because of the holiday spending in December, while the back-to-school purchases in August are reflected in the October figure.”

The city of Jacksonville has a 1.5 percent sales tax rate, of which one-half percent, or $82,675.20 of revenues reported in October, is earmarked as Jacksonville Economic Development Corporation funds, while the remaining one percent goes into the city's coffers. For October, that amount totaled $165,350.41.

Compared to last October, the city of Jacksonville saw an 8.9 percent dip in revenues, but Thomas said city officials are “not overly concerned.”

“That amount is historically our third highest amount for the month of October,” he said.

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Sales tax revenues up in county, slightly lower in city

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