By Rupert Howell
While figures indicate sales were stagnant statewide during the month of June, most local municipalities showed considerable increases during that time period putting more money in local government coffers.

The City of Batesville received $362,060 as its share, (approximately 20 percent of the total sales tax collected), an increase of six percent over the same period last year.

Batesville Tourism tax, a three percent tax on restaurants and lodging, was up 15 percent with the city receiving $117,644. That money was collected in July as was $9,595 for the Town of Sardis. The Town of Sardis has a similar two percent tax on food and lodging.

Local municipalities are currently holding or have recently held their upcoming fiscal year budget hearings and increased sales tax income is always good news.

The City of Sardis received $29,613, up seven percent from the previous June collections, but Como’s receipts were down 10 percent for the month as they received $12,141.

Other Panola municipalities received the following with the percentage of increase or decrease from last year’s corresponding month as follows: Courtland, $1,693, +48; Crenshaw, $5,487, unchanged; Crowder, $1,784, +16 and Pope, $3,352, +78.

Other nearby municipalities received the following amounts and percentage of change as: Charleston, $27,499, +3; Clarksdale, $221,534, +6; Grenada, $338,118, +8; Hernando, $272,451, +14; Lambert, $1,812, unchanged; Marks, $18,848, -1; Oakland, $6,935, +34; Oxford, $626869, +8; Senatobia, $180,482, +5 and Water Valley, $44,478, +12.