August sales tax rebates to local governments across Texas showed an average gain of 2 percent compared to last August.

Payments represent sales taxes collected in June by businesses that file monthly, and sales taxes collected for the second quarter by quarterly filers.

In Lampasas County, both Kempner and Lometa were able to top this average statewide gain, while the city of Lampasas and Lampasas County fell short.

Sales tax payments to the city of Lampasas came to $111,844 this month, about 1 percent less than it garnered in August 2009. Lampasas County saw its allocation fall by 2 percent this period with a check for $53,140.

Through the first eight months of 2010, the city has collected $849,149 in sales taxes to stay right on pace with its receipts last year. Lampasas County shows a 5 percent gain for the year with a cumulative total of $404,920.

Lometa posted a solid 11 percent increase in August that brings it within $58 of the year-todate sales tax total it held at this point last year. For 2010, Lometa has received $36,106 in sales tax revenues.

Kempner had an August check of $14,284, for a 6 percent gain this month. Its payments to date stand at $91,938, giving Kempner an 18 percent increase over 2009 sales taxes.

Among cities in the surrounding counties, Burnet recorded the largest percentage gain this month at 32 percent, while its neighbor Marble Falls posted the largest decline in sales taxes. Over the last 12 months, the only period in which Marble Falls showed a gain was in May, when its sales tax payment was up 4 percent.

Marble Falls lags behind 2009 cumulative totals by 6 percent, whereas Burnet stands 5 percent ahead with an eight-month total of $1.07 million in sales taxes.

Like Burnet, the city of San Saba posted its highest percentage gain of the year in August. San Saba saw its sales tax rebate shoot up 20 percent this month to $36,964. That payment was enough to put San Saba ahead of last year in terms of cumulative payments. For 2010, it holds $224,515, for a 2 percent edge over 2009.

Copperas Cove recorded only a slight dip for the month, as its August sales tax check was just $735 short of the comparable payment last year. Its Coryell County neighbor, Gatesville, posted a 3 percent gain this period. Both cities show increases over 2009 statistics to date. The eight-month total in Copperas Cove is $2.5 million, for a 5 percent increase; Gatesville’s $1.07 million represents a 3 percent increase for 2010.

Evant continues to show sales tax growth, as the city had its seventh consecutive increase in August. Sales tax receipts were up 7 percent for the month and for the year, with a cumulative total of $16,180.

The city of Hamilton slipped slightly this period, however. Its August payment was down 1 percent at $41,271, and it lags the 2009 revenues to date by 2 percent. For 2010, its sales tax total stands at $277,583. Sales tax payments to Central Texas entities this month generally showed increases over August 2009, with a few decreases that weren’t too severe.