Tommy Mann Jr.
The Orange Leader
ORANGE —
The new year is off to a start for Orange County based on the recent sales tax allocation report from the state.
Texas Comptroller Susan Combs recently announced that state sales tax revenue in December was $2.17 billion, up 9.4 percent compared to December 2011. Revenue was also up in Orange County by nearly $16,000 or 2.42 percent.
“Strong sales tax collections continue in most major economic sectors in Texas,” said Combs. “The strongest growth was from business spending-driven sectors including oil and natural gas, manufacturing and construction.”
Combs will send cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts their January local sales tax allocations totaling $530.8 million, up 7.3 percent compared to January 2012.
The biggest increase in Orange County was in the City of Pine Forest by a staggering 171.91 percent. However, the city’s payment was only $4,236.56, but it was a substantial improvement over the $1,558.03 at this time last year.
The City of Vidor continued its previous trend of sales tax revenue increases, including 12 of the past 13 months, as the city received more than $164,000 for the month, an increase of 11.57 percent over this time last year.
Bridge City also showed a considerable gain as its sales tax payment from the state totaled $91,126.12, or an increase of approximately $6,700 or 6.68 percent.
The City of West Orange also received a payment increase over this time last year, approximately $2,600 more than the start of 2012 or a gain of 2.99 percent.
While several cities experienced a positive start to 2013, a few cities in Orange County were down for the month compared to last year.
The City of Pinehurst’s revenue payment of $53,935.30 was approximately $1,900 less than at the same time last year, a decrease of 3.39 percent. The City of Orange received a payment approximately $9,300 less than it did at the same time in 2012, which is decrease of 3.46 percent.
Rose City had a decrease of 7.34 percent for the month as it received a payment of $10,716.66. However, this was only $850 less than at the same time from last year.
As far as counties go, Orange County, received a payment of $485,429.39 for the month, a considerable increase of approximately $190,000, or 64.08 percent, from the same time last year.
The sales tax figures represent November sales reported by monthly tax filers.
