County sales tax revenues climb

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Five of the six Burnet County municipalities who receive sales tax allocations benefitted from double-digit percentage increases in October, according to figures released last week by the Texas Comptroller’s Office — despite the state overall seeing a drop in sales tax revenue.

Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced he will send cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts $751.5 million in local sales tax allocations for October, 2.8 percent less than in October 2019. These allocations are based on sales made in August by businesses that report tax monthly.

Hegar said the COVID-19 pandemic “continues to weigh on the Texas economy and sales tax revenue.”

In October 2020, Burnet County municipalities received a combined $1,261,445.42 in sales tax revenues, an increase of nearly 7.79 percent, or $91,189.11, above the $1,170,256.31 received during October 2019. Overall in Burnet County for the year, sales tax revenues are at $12,594,559.31, up 4.71 percent or $566,568.75 from the $12,027,990.56 received during the same time period last year.

Burnet had sales tax receipts for October 2020 go up 17.86 percent from $214,692.16 in October 2019 to $253,052.85 this month — the second-highest percentage increase of any Burnet County city. For the year, sales tax revenue is up 12.75 percent above last year, from $2,064,256.51 at this point in 2019 to $2,327,517.91 through this year — a positive increase of $263,261.40. (see chart below).

Once again, Bertram had the highest percentage increase overall in Burnet County as October 2020 brought a 25.59 percent increase in sales tax allocations, going from $24,417.34 in October 2019 to $30,665.98 this month.

For the year, Bertram also maintains the highest percentage sales tax growth at 29.94 percent, from $244,079.94 through this point in 2019 to $317,164.27 through 10 months of 2020.

Sales tax allocations for Marble Falls climbed 3.51 percent for October 2020 to $804,658.50. They were up $27,324.46 above the $777,334.04 received in October 2019. Sales tax receipts make up the lion’s share of general fund revenues for the county’s largest city.

For the year (January through October), Marble Falls has received $8,264,304.46, up 3.92 percent from the $7,951,851.62 received during the same period last year.

Sales tax receipts for Horseshoe Bay were up 12.06 percent in October 2020, just a month after being down by about one percent. The city, which straddles the Burnet and Llano county line, received $137,299.23 for October 2020, compared to the $138,711.02 received in October 2019.

For the year, sales tax revenues in HSB are still down 11.55 percent, from $1,313,859.42 in 2019 to $1,162,007.73 this year — a difference of $151,851.69 from last year’s receipts.

Granite Shoals saw sales tax revenues rise by 14.25 percent from $29,884.40 in October 2019 to $34,145.65 this October. For the year, sales tax revenues are up a stellar 20.65 percent, from $286,737.33 to $345,952.84.

Cottonwood Shores saw an increase of 12.32 percent in October 2020, up from $16,289.45 last year to $18,297.46. For the year, sales tax revenues are up 6.21 percent from $167,211.74 in 2019 to $177,612.10 through the same point this year.

Three cities in Burnet County — Marble Falls, Burnet and Granite Shoals — collect the maximum allowable sales tax rate of two percent, while Bertram and Horseshoe Bay collect 1.75 percent and Cottonwood Shores collects 1.5 percent.