By Rupert Howell
The City of Batesville received almost $350,000 more from sales tax during a recent 12-month period ending June 30 than it did the previous 12-month period according to figures released by the Mississippi Department of Revenue. (The reports run a month behind. June sales are included in the next fiscal year’s figures.)
Representing approximately 18 percent of the total seven cent sales tax collected in Batesville, the city received a check for $393,255 for sales in May, eight percent above the previous year.
The year-to-date figure of $4,481,466 is also eight percent above the amount received during the state’s last fiscal year.
That’s good news considering statewide Mississippi paid out four percent less than it did the previous year from sales tax revenue.
Add to the total $122,565 collected through the Tourism and Economic Development Tax, and Batesville received well over a half million dollars in tax revenue for May. That tourism tax figure represents a 22 percent increase over the same period last year making the total collected with the three percent tax on prepared food and lodging during the state’s fiscal year come to $1,261,327 — an eight percent increase for the year.
The Town of Sardis received $9,037 from its tourism tax representing a seven percent increase over May of 2015.
Sardis’ sales tax decreased 10 percent to $26,912, which is being blamed on the Walmart Express store closing after less than a year in operation. That town’s year-to-date totals remain above the previous year by less than two percent at $338,423.
Como collected $5,562 in tourism taxes and sales tax remained level compared to the previous May at $15,333. The year-to-date figure of $158,937 is four percent below the previous year’s collections.
Other Panola municipalities received the following payments as their share of sales tax collected during May with the percentage of increase and decrease following: Courtland $1,688,-3; Crenshaw, $5,678, +8; Crowder, $1,573, -27; and Pope, $3,446, -3.