Sales tax allocations down for month of July

Sales tax allocations for Gonzales County municipalities were down overall for the month of July, which mirrored the statewide trend, according to figures released by Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar’s office.

Hegar announced he will send cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose districts $1.1 billion in local sales tax allocations for July, 0.2 percent less than in July 2023. These allocations are based on sales made in May by businesses that report tax monthly.

Sales tax allocations were up for Nixon and Waelder for July 2024, but dropped in both Gonzales and Smiley.

Combined sales tax allocations for the month of July 2024 for all four municipalities were $313,750.12 — down $8,177.25 or 2.54 percent below the $321,927.37 received in July 2023, but up $1,696.89 above June’s combined sales tax allocation of $312,053.23.

For the year, Gonzales County municipalities have received a combined total of $2,128,693.30, down $67,785.90 or 3.08 percent from the $2,196,479.20 received as of this point last year.

Sales tax allocations for July 2024 for Gonzales, the largest city in the county which generates the lion’s share of sales tax revenue, were $264,604.62, down 3.24 percent or $8,864.33 from the $273,468.95 the city received last July and down $2,844.19 from the June allocation of $267,448.81.

For the year, the city has received $1,801,800.17, still down 2.91 percent or $54,117.01 from the $1,855,917.18 Gonzales had received at this point in 2023.

Sales tax receipts were slightly up for Nixon, which received $36,394.47, up $388.88 or 1.08 percent more than the $36,005.39 received in July 2023 and up $5,040.25 or 16.1 percent above the $31,354.22 the city received in June 2024.

For the year, the city has received $232,650.32, just 1.58 percent or $3,738.51 less than the $236,388.83. received through this time last year.

Nixon could start seeing a boost in sales tax allocations two or three months from now after a new Tractor Supply opened on US 87.

Waelder received a total of $10,299.37, an increase of $437.45, or 4.43 percent, above the $9,861.92 received in July 2023 but $549.07 or 5.06 percent below the $10,848.44 received in June 2024.

For the year, Waelder has received a total of $71,341.28, down 12.39 percent or $10,089.72 less than the $81,431 the city had received through this time last year — a year in which Waelder received an all-time high in sales tax allocations.

Finally, Smiley’s sales tax receipts were $2,451.66, down $139.25 or 5.37 percent from the $2,590.91 received in July 2023, but $49.90 more than the $2,401.76 received just last month. For the year, Smiley remains the only city in the black, having received $22,901.53, or 0.7 percent more than the $22,742.19 received through the first seven months of 2023.

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, but is considering asking voters to adopt a 1.5 percent sales tax rate.

Gonzales County itself also receives a 0.5 percent sales and use tax and for the month of July 2024, the county received $223,067.88, or 7.09 percent less than the $240,115.82 received in June 2023 and less than the $240,187.49 received just last month. For the year, the county has received $1,897,978.38 or 24.84 percent more than the $1,520,308.37 received through this point last year.