Sales Tax Revenue Up in Texas, Lubbock for March 2013

The Texas Comptroller’s Office has distributed sales tax revenue to local governments for March.

Texas Comptroller Susan Combs announced Wednesday that state sales tax revenue for March of 2013 was $1.98 billion, up 5.5 percent from March of 2012.

“Sales tax revenue growth was seen in both the business and consumer sectors of the economy,” said Combs. “Collections grew in sectors such as manufacturing and retail trade. Sales tax revenue has now increased for 36 consecutive months.”

The City of Lubbock received a sales tax payment of more than $4.37 million, up 9 percent from March of 2012. Wolfforth’s sales tax payment from the state is nearly $31,144, a 19 percent increase, and Shallowater’s sales tax payment was $9,417, up 50 percent from March of 2012.

The state’s sales tax payment to Plainview for March 2013 signals the economic problems faced by that particular city following the closing of the Cargill meat processing plant. Plainview received $280,500, down more than 6 percent from March 2012.

Not all cities in Hale County are experiencing economic woes, as Abernathy received a payment of more than $24,800 for March 2013, up 137 percent from March 2012. Also, the city of Edmonson, which has a population of 112, received a payment of $1,474, an increase of 4,796 percent over the same period last year. .

Floydada saw a sizable decrease in their March 2013 payment, receiving more than $19,600, a 39 percent decrease from March 2012.

Midland continues with steady increases, receiving slightly more than $4.3 million for last month, a 10 percent increase over the same period last year. Odessa received nearly $3 million, up 9 percent from March of 2012.

Amarillo’s payment from the state for March 2013 was more than $4.7 million, a slight 1.25 percent decrease from last year. Abilene’s payment was nearly 3.19 million, a modest 4 percent increase from last year.

Austin showed improvement, and has received a payment of nearly 12.2 million, up 7 percent from March 2012. San Antonio’s payment was $18.4 million, up 5 percent.

Dallas received a payment for March 2013 of $16.8 million, up 4 percent from last year, and Fort Worth received almost $8.4 million, a slight decrease of 0.17 percent.

Houston’s sales tax payment from the state was more than $44.4 million, up nearly 12 percent from March 2012.