Corsicana —
It was a good Christmas for Navarro County, going by December sales tax reimbursements, which were received last week by local cities. The county’s sales tax receipts were up 4.5 percent in Dec. 2012, compared with Dec. 2011; and up 6 percent for the fiscal year.
Corsicana’s receipts were up 3.5 percent compared with last December, or about $19,000.
“It’s the highest of the last three years running,” said Corsicana City Manger. “Higher than the same month in 2012, 2011, and 2010.”
“We’re budgeted for it to be up a little bit in our budget numbers,” said “It should be right on with our budget. We projected one or two percent.”
Higher sales tax receipts will be useful for Corsicana, since the council has been asked to consider more than $800,000 in budget amendments to pay for more street work, employee bonuses in lieu of raises, heavy renovations on the animal shelter, redevelopment of the website, and remodeling two more offices for the police department/municipal court.
The council is expected to decide on the budget amendments at the next council meeting, Feb. 19.
Other Navarro County cities that had positive Decembers include Kerens, which had a disappointing couple of months before bouncing back strong with 16 percent over the previous December, and Rice, which had a nearly 40 percent increase.
“Everything’s going good up here,” said Rice Mayor Larry Bailey. In addition to some strong local businesses, Rice is also going to get a new Family Dollar store, a used car lot, and a Laundromat downtown.
“Business is going good up here right now,” he said. “People are wanting to come to Rice. We just need a housing project up here.”
Statewide, sales taxes were up 6 percent over the previous year’s receipts, according to Texas Comptroller Susan Combs.
“Growth in sales tax receipts was led by the construction, retail trade and restaurant sectors,” said Combs. “Receipts from oil and natural gas-related activity also continue to be strong. State sales tax revenue has now increased for 34 consecutive months.”
Local sales tax allocations in February totaled $741 million, up 4.6 percent compared to February 2012.
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Janet Jacobs may be reached via e-mail at jjacobs@corsicanadailysun.com. Want to “sound off” to this article? E-mail: Soundoff@corsicanadailysun.com
Navarro Feb. 2013 Feb. 2012 %change Year-to-date Last year %change
Angus $6,202 $4,897 26.65% $10,050.58 $8,184.51 22.80%
B. Grove $2,039 $1,856 9.84% $3,753 $3,187.68 17.74%
Corsicana $571,613 $551,895 3.57% $1,031,759 $976,609 5.64%
Dawson $5,529.33 4,922.76 12.32% $9,094.94 $7,957.14 14.29%
Emhouse $590 $423 39.21% $1,114 $872 27.64%
Eureka $742 $1,157 -35.84% $2,032 $2,663 -23.68%
Frost $1,581 $1,590 -0.56% $2,379 $2,271 4.76%
Goodlow $349 $393 -11.29% $708 $681 3.97%
Kerens $16,049 $13,784 16.43% $29,814 $28,913 3.11%
Mildred $612 $463 32.21% $1,051 $1,067 -1.56%
Mustang $122 $103 18.12% $135 $144 -6.14%
Navarro $129 $142 -9.25% $263 $185 41.93%
Oak Valley $161 $97 65.68% $254 $151 68.17%
Rice $9,248 $6,623 39.62% $15,657 $11,862 31.99%
Richland $1,003 $1,008 -0.51% $1,729 $1,995 -13.29%
Total $615,974 $589,359 4.51% $1,109,800 $1,046,748 6.02%
Source: Texas Comptroller’s Office
