Lampasas, area cities show sales tax growth
By GAIL LOWE Staff Writer

GRAPHIC BY BRENDA SMITH Kempner and Lometa were at opposite extremes this month in terms of sales tax percentage growth. The gain for Lampasas came close to the 8 percent increase averaged across the state in June by all the Texas cities that levy a local sales tax.

June sales tax allocations to Texas cities grew an average of 8 percent compared to June 2007 statistics. And about half the cities in the surrounding Central Texas area matched that sales tax growth this period.

Lampasas, Burnet, Copperas Cove, Gatesville, Hamilton and San Saba all showed percentage gains between 7 and 8 percent for the month.

Goldthwaite, at 31 percent, and Evant at 61 percent, far outpaced the average sales tax increase for June. The city of Kempner, however, boasted the highest jump as its 159 percent rebate this month topped all entities in the neighboring counties.

Lometa, unfortunately, was the only area city to reflect a drop in sales tax revenues for the period.

Marble Falls narrowly escaped the negative column with its 1 percent increase.

June payments represent taxes collected on local sales made in April and reported to the state comptroller's office in May.

The city of Lampasas received a check for $96,821 this month to give it a six-month total of $608,333 in sales tax receipts, a figure that is up 4 percent from 2007 for the comparable period.

Kempner's 2008 total has jumped to $50,795 for an increase of almost $30,000 or 143 percent over last year to date.

Although June sales tax figures were disappointing for Lometa, the city maintains a slim edge over 2007 in its cumulative rebates -- $21,731, as compared to $21,525 through June of last year.

Lampasas County, which levies a half-percent sales tax, received a payment of $45,515 for the month, which represents a gain of 23 percent. For 2008, the county shows total sales taxes of $278,047 -- up more than 16 percent from 2007.

Burnet, Hamilton, Evant and San Saba all maintain double-digit increases for the year in their sales tax totals. Burnet is up 11 percent at $803,863, and San Saba has a 14 percent gain for 2008 at $164,755. The city of Hamilton has a sixmonth increase of 16 percent with revenues of $223,250, while Evant boasts a 28 percent gain and $10,319 in sales taxes this year.

Coryell County cities reflect smaller growth for the year. Copperas Cove has collected $1.76 million in sales taxes through June for a gain of almost 10 percent; Gatesville, at $786,436, is up 4 percent over 2007.

In Mills County, Goldthwaite maintains a 6 percent edge over last year's receipts to date, with a total of $133,957 in sales tax rebates.

"While increases are smaller than in 2006 and 2007," said Comptroller Susan Combs when the local distributions were announced this month, "growth in state sales tax revenues continues at a healthy rate."

The monthly sales tax allocation reports are available at the Web site www.window.state.tx.us.