Sales tax revenues down 9.68 percent

By Cassandra Mickens (Contact) | The Natchez Democrat

Published Tuesday, November 17, 2009

NATCHEZ — Sales tax collection figures for September are down 9.68 percent compared to last year, City Clerk Donnie Holloway said Monday.

The city collected $404,325 in September 2009, down from $447,675 in September 2008. Sales tax collections are reported two months after the fact.

Holloway again attributed the decline to the weak economy.

“I was anticipating a bigger drop than what we got to be honest with you,” Holloway said.

With the exception of February — when the city reported an 8.59 percent increase in sales tax revenues — sales tax revenues have fallen every month from January to September 2009.

Sales tax revenues fell $61,473, or 13.19 percent in August. The city collected $404,601 in August 2009, down from $466,074 in August 2008.

Sales tax revenues fell $31,324, or 6.86 percent in July. The city collected $425,340 in July 2009, down from $456,574 in July 2008.

Total sales tax revenue for fiscal year 2008-2009 is $5,282,787, down 0.4 percent from this time last year, Holloway said. FY 2009 began Oct. 1, 2008, and ended Sept. 30.