By MARTHA McCLAIN
Special to the PRESS
The Town of Laguna Vista was among the top five cities in Cameron County to realize the highest percentage of sales tax refunds for this year-to-date in 2012, according to the Texas Comptroller’s Office.
November reports indicate that of the 16 municipalities in the county collecting sales tax revenue from the state for the period of January through September, Laguna Vista ranked fourth in its percentage increase for sales tax. For the nine-month period, Primera showed the greatest percentage increase in their collections with 38.56 percent; Los Fresnos was second with 15.10 percent; Combes was third with 13.07 percent and Laguna Vista was fourth with a 9.92 percent increase.
The rate increases are based on growth rates of revenue collections during specific periods rather than actual dollar amounts. Typically, smaller communities collect less overall revenue than larger counterparts, but the percentage reflects as a growth indicator of the community.
The increase for Laguna Vista translates to a monthly payment of $14,152.92 and an annual allocation of 140,900.90. Laguna Vista sales tax collections have soured since the Stripes Convenience Store on State Highway 100 opened here this year.
Primera has received a total of $137,678 for the year-to-date; Los Fresnos collected $539,507 and Combes has taken in $102,881.
Of communities in the Laguna Madre area, Port Isabel came in ninth among the 16 communities with a 6 percent increase for the year-to-date, receiving $1,857,795 in sales tax revenue.
Port Isabel was listed at sixth, with revenues for the year at $1,857,795 on the year.
South Padre Island figured-in at 10th with a 5.38 percent increase and collections of $2,514,504 for the nine-month period.
Brownsville came in at 13, showing a 3.61 percent hike for the year-to-date with revenues of $30,708,134.
Harlingen was fifth on the year-to-date list with an increase of 9.76 and revenues of $18,161,491.
La Feria rated seventh with a 9.67 percent increase and revenues on the year at $957,195.
Palm Valley came in sixth, with revenues of $48,476 on the year.
Rancho Viejo was rated eighth with a 6.02 percent increase and revenues for the year at $51, 485.
San Benito placed 11th on the list with a 4.41 percent increase and revenues of $3,531,107.
Santa Rosa was listed at 10th, with revenues at $2,514,504.
On the other side of the spectrum, Bayview trailed all cities, down 29.31 percent on the year, with collections dropping to $8,935.
Los Indios, at 15 on the list, was off 10.54 percent and revenues totaling $30,561.
Rio Hondo was off 5.39 percent for their 14th place on the list. Revenues totaled $166, 655 so far this year.
The sales tax totals reflect purchase of goods by merchants in September and reported to the State Comptroller’s Office in October.
Read this story in the Nov. 29 edition of the Port Isabel-South Padre Press, or subscribe to our E-Edition by clicking here.
1 comments
soared, not soured.