(AUSTIN) — Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar said Texas’ state sales tax revenue totaled $3.16 billion in June, 18.1% more than in June 2020.
Year-over-year increases for most tax revenues this month were affected by base effects: Year-ago revenue collections to which this year’s collections are compared were severely suppressed by the pandemic. Compared to June 2019, sales tax collections were up 10.4 %.
The five Lamb County cities received a combined total of $166,444.17 for the June revenues, which is compared with the $155,028.74 they received at this same time in 2020. Last year, the combined total reeived for this period was $926,537.12. For the year 2019, their combined total was $864,674.74.
The City of Amherst received sales tax revenue in the amount of $1,800.28, which is a decrease from last year’s $2,158.59. That’s a drop of -16.59%. For the year, Amherst has received a total of $13,305.75, which is a 5.25% increase over the $12.641.62 it had by this period last year.
The City of Earth received a return of sales taxes in the amount of $7,834.81, which is a 7.66% increase over the $7,277.16 it got last year. Earth’s total for the year so far, is $47,487.39, which is compared with the $41,499.14 it had at this time in 2020. That’s a 14.42% increase.
The City of Littlefield’s sales tax revenue was $120,364.50, which is a 3.92% increase over last year’s return of $115,827.92. So far, Littlefield has received a total of $681,020.34, an increase of 5.80% over the $643.658.38 it had by this time in 2020.
The City of Olton received its June sales tax revenue in the amount of $25,393.29, which is a giant increase of 34.90% over the $18,823.19 from last year. So far this year, theCity of Olton has received a sales tax return of 122,541.31, which is a 21.92% increase over the prior year’s $100,505.70.
The City of Sudan’s sales tax revenue for this period amounted to $11,051.29, which is a .99% increase over last year’s $10,941.88 fpr his period. Sudan has received a total of $72,182.33 for the year to date, which is compared with the $66,369.90 it had by this period last year. That’s an 8.75$ increase.
Over in Hockley County, the City of Anton received $6,186.08, which is a giant 139.84% increase from last year’s $2,579.23. So far, Anton has received a total of $21,747.09, for the year, which is compared with the $16,977.29 for the prior year. That’s a 28.09% increase.
Comptroller Glenn Hegar explained: “The majority of June sales tax revenue is based on sales made in May and remitted to the agency in June.
“Monthly state sales tax collections remained exceptionally strong, with receipts from all major sectors other than those related to oil and gas surpassing pre-pandemic levels,” Hegar said. “Elevated spending at clothing stores, electronics and appliance stores, sporting goods stores, building materials and home furnishing stores, some general merchandisers and online retailers continued, though growth in online sales and at big box merchandisers slowed as consumers returned to other physical retail alternatives. Remittances from food and beverage stores were constrained by declining sales of alcoholic beverages for off-premise consumption, as consumers returned to restaurants and bars.
“Collections from electric utilities were up strongly, reflecting airconditioning usage at shopping centers and office buildings that were subject to closure a year ago. Receipts from the manufacturing and wholesale trade sectors also were up substantially, reflecting continued strong demand for computer products and building materials. Receipts from the information sector remained below last year’s levels, due to the federal preemption of state taxation of internet access services.
“Receipts from restaurants again substantially surpassed prepandemic levels, with brisk business continuing at take-out-oriented establishments and modest recovery at some dine-in outlets. However, some dine-in restaurant chains continue to operate at lower levels due to permanent closures at some locations,” Comptroller Hegar said.
Total sales tax revenue for the three months ending in June 2021 was up 26.4 % compared to the same period a year ago and 14.1% compared to 2019. Sales tax is the largest source of state funding for the state budget, accounting for 59% of all tax collections.
Texas collected the following revenue from other major taxes, all of which were up sharply from a year ago due to base effects:
Motor vehicle sales and rental taxes — $591 million, a record monthly amount; up 50% from June 2020, and up 39% from June 2019;
Motor fuel taxes — $315 million, up 26% from June 2020, and down 4% from June 2019; Oil production tax — $363 million, up 339% from June 2020, and down 0.1% from June 2019;
Natural gas production tax — $159 million, up 689% from June 2020, and up 28% from June 2019;
Hotel occupancy tax — $54 million, up 137% from June 2020, and down 7% from June 2019;
Alcoholic beverage taxes — $138 million, a record monthly amount; up 112 % from June 2020, and up 12% from June 2019.
Fiscal 2021 franchise tax collections, the reporting deadline for which was deferred to June from the usual May 15 due date, totaled $4.24 billion year-to-date through June. Last year, the due date was deferred to July. Compared to collections through July 2020, year-to-date franchise tax collections were up 1.7%.