Sales tax allocations up again for Gonzales County cities

Sales tax allocations for Gonzales County were up more than $18,400 for the month of October 2024, an increase of just under six percent from the amount received for October one year ago, according to figures released by Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar’s office.

Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced he will send cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose districts $1.1 billion in local sales tax allocations for October, 1.2 percent less than in October 2023.

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

Combined sales tax allocations for the month of October 2024 for all four municipalities were $326,575.28 — up $18,442.94 or 5.99 percent above the $308,132.34 received in October 2023 and an increase of $1,815.15 from September’s combined sales tax allocation of $324,760.13.

For the year, Gonzales County municipalities have received a combined total of $3,090,072.33, down $52,203.21 or 1.66 percent from the $3,142,275.54 received as of this point last year.

Every one of the four municipalities in Gonzales County saw an increase in sales tax allocations this month. Gonzales saw a 4.69 percent increase, or $12,454.94 more, in sales tax allocations for October 2024. The largest city in the county, which generates the lion’s share of sales tax revenue, received $277,684.45, compared to $265,229.51 in October 2023. This is $4,802.66 more than the $272,881.79 received in September 2024.

For the year, the city has received $2,613,047.86, down 1.87 percent or $50,036.59 from the $2,663,084.45 Gonzales had received at this point in 2023.

Sales tax receipts also were up for Nixon, which received $34,191.96, up $3,787.06 or 12.45 percent more than the $30,404.90 received in October 2023. For the year, the city has received $336,575.44, just 1.43 percent or $4,749.26 more than the $331,826.18 received through this time last year. Nixon is the only city in the black for the year at this time.

Waelder received a total of $12,314.15, an increase of $2,017.27, or 19.59 percent, above the $10,296.88 received in October 2023. For the year, Waelder has received a total of $109,604.75, down 5.29 percent or $6,127.38 less than the $115,732.13 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 $2,384.72, up $183.67 or 8.34 percent above the $2,201.05 received in October 2023. For the year, Smiley has received $30,844.28, or 2.49 percent less than the $31,632.78 received through the first 10 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 October 2024, the county received $2189,816.58, or 15.75 percent less than the $225,303.10 received in October 2023. For the year, the county has received $2,494,820.68 or 13.52 percent more than the $2,197,587.13 received through this point last year.