Monthly sales tax declines 14.4% statewide

(AUSTIN) — Texas Comptroller Susan Combs today said the state collected $1.70 billion in sales tax in November, down 14.4 percent compared to November 2008.

“Sales tax collections, declining since February 2009, continued to be weak in November,” Combs said. “Compared to a year ago, sales tax collections were down across all major sectors of the Texas economy, including oil and natural gas production, construction, manufacturing and retail trade.”

The Comptroller sent cities, counties, special purpose districts and transit systems $417.1 million in December sales tax allocations, down 14.6 percent compared to last December. The final sales tax allocation of 2009 brings local sales tax revenue for the year to $5.6 billion, 5.1 percent less than in 2008.

Combs sent Texas cities December sales tax allocations of $279.6 million, down 14.9 percent compared to December 2008. Counties’ December sales tax allocations totaled $24.6 million, down 20.2 percent compared to December 2008.

Ten local transit systems received December sales tax allocations of $96.5 million, a 12.1 percent decline compared to December 2008. December sales tax allocations of $16.3 million went to 163 special purpose taxing districts, a decrease of 15.4 percent compared to last December.

November state sales tax collections and December sales tax allocations to local governments represent sales that occurred in October.

For details of December sales tax payments to individual cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose districts, locate the Monthly Sales and Use Tax Allocation Comparison Summary Reports on the Comptroller’s Web site at www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/allocsum/compsum.html.

The next local sales tax allocation will be made on Friday, Jan.8.