Local sales tax collections were higher overall in March, according to figures released by the Mississippi Department of Revenue.
The agency’s April report on diversions to cities from state sales tax collections showed that three of five Tallahatchie County municipalities experienced an increase in retail sales.
Municipalities receive back 18.5 percent of the 7 percent state tax collected on retail sales within their boundaries.
The latest figures are based on March merchant collections reported to the Department of Revenue in April and diverted to municipalities in May.
The five municipalities — Charleston, Glendora, Sumner, Tutwiler and Webb — received back a total of $46,588.24 in tax diversions from March sales, an increase of $390.25, or eight-tenths of 1 percent, from $46,197.99 one year ago.
Sales tax collections for the first 10 months of the fiscal year also are running ahead.
The five municipalities have netted $461,765.75 in sales tax returns since July 1, an increase of $20,792.89, or 4.7 percent, from the $440,972.86 received in diversions during the initial 10 months of fiscal 2017-18.
The city of Charleston received $32,009.02 as its share of sales tax reported in April, up $541.16, or 1.7 percent, from the $31,467.86 one year ago. For the fiscal year, Charleston has received $310,076.46, an increase of $19,764.59, or 6.8 percent, from $290,311.87.
Figures for other municipalities are:
» Glendora: $421.95 for the month, up $47.38, or 12.7 percent, from $374.57; and $3,932.03 for the fiscal year, down $94.78, or 2.4 percent, from $3,932.03
» Sumner: $2,656.27 for the month, down $555.26, or 1.7 percent, from $3,211.53; and $33,973.84 for the fiscal year, down $2,901.03, or 7.9 percent, from $36,874.87
» Tutwiler: $5,553.64 for the month, up $1,805.88, or 48.2 percent, from $3,747.76; and $49,045.92 for the fiscal year, up $9,245.52, or 23.2 percent, from $39,800.40
» Webb: $5,947.36 for the month, down $1,448.91, or 19.6 percent, from $7,396.27; and $64,832.28 for the fiscal year, down $5,221.41, or 7.5 percent, from $70,053.69
Just across the line in Yalobusha County, the town of Oakland’s monthly kickback of $7,848.65 was up $345.12, or 4.6 percent, from $7,503.53 one year ago. The $68,639.13 fiscal year total reflects an increase of $2,349.28, or 3.5 percent, from the previous year’s $66,289.85.
Based on sales tax reported to the state in April, diversions for other area municipalities (with fiscal year collections in parenthesis) are:
» Batesville, $413,275.34 ($3,748,109.35)
» Clarksdale, $240,611.70 ($2,141,225.71)
» Coffeeville, $14,072.59 ($106,731.77)
» Greenwood, $442,922.72 ($3,810,299.42)
» Grenada, $411,170.90 ($3,705,120.04)
» Oxford, $843,648.29 ($8,256,924.14)
» Pope, $5,002.43 ($47,730.21)
» Sardis, $28,138.13 ($274,049.07)
» Senatobia, $208,349.42 ($1,909,038.25)
» Water Valley, $45,202.86 ($427,974.80)
» Winona, $84,086.84 ($768,247.07)
