By Rupert Howell
While state lawmakers warn against decreasing revenue, state sales taxes have increased statewide and locally over the past two reporting periods with most all of Panola and surrounding municipalities experiencing revenue increases from the seven percent tax.
Statewide sales tax increased four percent in March followed by an eight percent increase in April.

Batesville’s share of that seven percent tax, approximately one-fifth of the total tax collected, increased 11 percent in the March reporting period compared to March of 2015 and seven percent in April compared to the previous April.

Batesville received checks in the amount of $398,621 and $394,986 respectively for their share of sales tax from those months.

The three percent tourism tax on food and lodging establishments was $98,839 and $108,521respectively, bringing the April tax received to over $500,000 received, the highest since the December reports when Polar Express was making regular trips from the Batesville Downtown Square.

The Town of Sardis received $10,152 from their tourism tax in April, a 13 percent increase over April of 2013, and an increase of 13 percent in March over the previous year with a total of $8,936.

The Town of Como’s total from the tourism tax was $6,198 in March and $6,021 in April. That tax was not collected the previous year.

The following figures include the Panola municipality where the tax was collected, the amount for the month followed by percentage of increase or decrease for month and year to date.
Como, $17,238, +10, $143,503, -3; Courtland, $4,036, +43, $18,697, +8; Crenshaw, $6,269, $64,690, +21; Crowder, $2,048, +9, $21,203, +3; Pope, $5,366, +45, $34,629, +20 and Sardis, $30,882, -10, $311,510, +3.

The lone monthly decline in Sardis can be easily traced to that town losing a Walmart which has left the municipality without a full size grocery.

Statewide figures indicate an eight percent increase with the Department of Revenue dispersing $37,619,162 to municipalities from sales taxes collected.