(AUSTIN) — Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar reports that the state sales tax revenue totaled $3.85 billion in January, 25.3 % more than in January 2021. The majority of January sales tax revenue is based on sales made in December and remitted to the agency in January.
The five Lamb County cities have received a combined total of $178,021.49 in sales tax revenue from sales in December, 2021, that were received for January, 2022.
The City of Amherst received $1,952.02 in sales tax reveue, which is a 25.41% increase from the $1,556.45 in returns it received last year for the same period of time.
The City of Earth received $9,719.53 for this period, which is compared with the $8,448.26 it received for the same period in 2021. That’s an increase of 15.04%.
Littlefield received a sales tax return in the amount of $108,984.34, which is a 17.60% increase over last year’s $92,669.05. The City of Littlefield receives half of that, while the other half is divided between the two Economic Development Corporations.
Olton’s return for this period was $20,121.32, which is a 29.94% increase over last year’s return of $15,485.05.
The City of Sudan received $37,244.28 in sales tax revenue for this period, which is a 199.47% increase over last year’s return in the amount of $12,436.54.
Over in Hockley County, the City of Anton received a return of $7,132.31 for this period, which is compared with the $2,615.86 it got at this time last year. That’s a 172.65% increase.
Comptroller Hegar explained: “Year-over-year increases for most tax revenues continue to be affected by base effects: Revenue collections in 2021, to which this year’s collections are compared, were suppressed by the pandemic. Compared to January 2020, sales tax collections were up 24.9%.
He continued: “January state sales tax collections reached another all-time monthly high, with receipts from almost all major economic sectors rocketing above year-ago levels,” Hegar said. “Fueled by continued strength in both business and consumer spending, receipts from most sectors strongly surpassed pre-pandemic levels.
“Business spending drove double-digit increases in receipts from the oil and gas mining, manufacturing, wholesale trade and construction sectors, with receipts from only oil and gas mining remaining below pre-pandemic levels.
“A strong Christmas shopping season continued to drive doubledigit increases in receipts from retail trade. The greatest gains came from clothing and accessories stores and health and personal care stores. Receipts from general merchandisers also exhibited very strong growth, especially from bigbox retailers and mall-based department stores.
“Receipts from restaurants, a sector still depressed a year ago, were again up sharply and well above pre-pandemic levels.”
Total sales tax revenue for the three months ending in January 2021 was up 23% compared to the same period a year ago and 21.7%, compared to 2020. 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, most of which were up sharply from a year ago due to base effects:
• Motor vehicle sales and rental taxes — $480 million, up 18% from January 2021, and up 2% from January 2020;
• Motor fuel taxes — $296 million, up 1% from January 2021, and down 4% from January 2020;
• Oil production tax — $427 million, up 68% from January 2021, and up 8% from January 2020;
• Natural gas production tax — $369 million, up 260% from January 2021, and up 182% from January 2020;
• Hotel occupancy tax — $49 million, up 83% from January 2021, and up 19% from January 2020; and
• Alcoholic beverage taxes — $140 million, up 49% from January 2021, and up 8% from January 2020.
For details on all monthly collections, visit the Comptroller’s Monthly State Revenue Watch. For an extensive history of tax policy developments and fees since 1972, visit the Comptroller’s updated Sources of Revenue publication.