State sales tax revenue declines 12.8% from last October

(AUSTIN) — Texas Comptroller Susan Combs says the state collected $1.52 billion in sales tax revenue in October, down 12.8 percent compared to October 2008.

“Declining sales tax collections, which began in February, have continued with October’s collections,” Combs said. “Tax collections are down in major sectors of the economy, including retail trade, oil and natural gas and construction.”

Today, Combs distributed $500.7 million in November sales tax rebates to cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts. Local sales tax allocations are down 8.7 percent compared to November 2008.

Combs sent Texas cities $342.6 million in sales tax allocations, down 8.3 percent compared to November 2008. So far this calendar year, city sales tax allocations are down 4.2 percent compared to the same time period last year. Texas counties received November sales tax allocations of $28.2 million, down 14.5 percent compared to one year ago. For the calendar yearto date, county sales tax allocations are running 3.7 percent below 2008 revenues.

November sales tax allocations to local governments represent September sales reported to the Comptroller in October by monthly tax filers and July, August and September sales reported to the Comptroller in October by quarterly tax filers.