Emporia’s sales tax collections started strong in 2007 and could be on the way to another banner year.
The city reported Friday that it had collected $1,019,367 of sales taxes in the first three months of 2007. That’s up by more than $32,000 from this time last year.
The city usually takes in its money about two months after the actual sale is made. That means that January and February tend to be especially strong, since that’s when the Christmas season sales are reported.
This is only the second time that the city has ever cracked $1 million in the first quarter. In 2001, the city reached $1,052,605 by March and hit a record high of $3,823,148 by the end of the year. An economic slowdown after that saw sales tax income fall for two straight years.
In 2006, the city broke $4 million in sales tax revenue for the first time in its history.
food4thought (anonymous) says...
Why are our property taxes so high if the city is making so much else where? People are moving out of the county to get away from lyon county property taxes. Something has to be done. I have lived here 15 yrs and I am now looking for a home outside of lyon county so I don't feel so raped. Lyon county and Emporia have done this to themselves the question is what are they going to do about it?
April 9, 2007 at 4:42 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Phil_Dillon (anonymous) says...
The city's budget is far outpacing the increases in sales tax or other taxes. The current increase in sales tax amounts to a 3.2% year over year climb. The 2007 budget is an increase of 6.2% from the previous year. The end result is higher property taxes. I said during the campaign that the only way to rein this in is to reduce the tax load by decreasing the cost of municipal government. Unfortunately,there is no discipline for that right now. Hence, people and jobs are leaving the city.
Phil Dillon
April 10, 2007 at 10:42 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )