Gonzales sees sales tax receipts drop for first time since August 2021

Sales tax allocations for the city of Gonzales dipped in June 2023, marking the first time since August 2021 that the county seat had taken in less money in allocations in one month than the corresponding month the year before.

It was not all bad news for Gonzales County, however, as the other three cities each saw percentage increases in the double and — in Smiley’s case — triple digits, according to Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar’s office.

Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced today he will send cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose districts $1.03 billion in local sales tax allocations for June, 2 percent more than in June 2022.

These allocations are based on sales made in April by businesses that report tax monthly.

For the month of June 2023, Gonzales County municipalities received a combined $296,802.16 in sales tax allocations, up just $2,030.94 or nearly seven-tenths of a percent more than the $294,771.22 received during June 2022.

For the year, county municipalities have received $1,874,551.83, an increase of $106,541.36 or 6.02 percent above the $1,768,010.47 received through the first six months of 2022.

Sales tax allocations for Gonzales, the largest city in the county which generates the lion’s share of sales tax revenue, were $248,735.83, down $10,828.34 or 4.17 percent below the $259,564.17 received during June 2022.

For the year, the city has received $1,582,448.23, up $42,853.59 or 2.78 percent, above the $1,539,594.64 received at this same point in 2022.

Waelder received a total of $11,867.71, up 76.74 percent or $5,153.25, above the $6,714.46 received in June 2022. For the year, Waelder has received $71,569.08, up $32,446.74, or 82.93 percent, above the $39,122.34 received at this point in 2022. The city is now just $13,207.49 off the record $84,776.57 it received in all of 2022.

Sales tax receipts for Nixon were $31,073.08, up $4,544,94, or 17.13 percent, above the $26,528.14 received in June 2022. For the year, the city has received $200,383.24, up $25,482.46, or 14.56 percent, above the $174,900.78 received at this same point last year.

Finally, Smiley’s sales tax receipts were $5,125.54, up $3,161.09, or 160.91 percent, from the $1,964.45 received in June 2022. For the year, the city has received $20,151.28, up $5,758.57 or 40.01 percent above the $14,392.71 received in the first six months of 2022.

Three cities in Gonzales County — Gonzales, Nixon and Waelder — collect a 1.5 percent sales tax rate, while Smiley collects a 1 percent sales tax.