Sales tax revenue stays strong

The area’s tax revenues continued to show robust earnings as shown from Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar’s January sales tax summary. Statewide, collections were $2.56 billion. That is up 11.2 percent compared to last January.

“The growth in sales tax revenues was led by business spending,” Hegar said. “Receipts from the manufacturing and wholesale trade sectors were up sharply. In spite of the recent decline in crude oil prices, tax receipts from the oil and natural gas mining sector also grew strongly.

“This allocation marks the 58th consecutive month of year-over-year growth and is indicative of a dynamic and diverse economy that continues to generate business investment and spending in Texas,” Hegar added. “My office will continue to carefully monitor the impact that lower oil prices will have on our state’s economy, but these sales tax allocation numbers are an encouraging sign of continued strength.”

Countywide, $378,107.42 was collected last month, up 23.82 percent from last January. So far this year, it’s $704,015.83 in sales tax revenues collected from businesses in Gonzales County.

City coffers continue to show increases. In Gonzales, $247,528.08 was collected. That is a 2.58 percent bump from this time last year. To date, the city has generated $492,668.47 in tax revenues, up 11.67 percent from 2014.

The City of Nixon will see the largest percentage increase of the county, with a 112.09 percent rise in receipts. Collections were $122,130.57 last month, which brings them to $194,690.07 for the young calendar year.

Smiley has also witnessed a robust increase. $4,311.82 has been collected, a 79.99 percent increase from January 2014. They are sitting at $8,252.35 for the year.

Waelder rounds out the field with $4,163.95 in tax sales, up from $4,090.39 in 2014. They have brought in $8,404.94.

The tax collections show that in spite of lower oil prices and a perceived slow down in oil field activity, Gonzales County continues to reap the benefits of the Eagle Ford Shale play.