County’s Sales Tax Revenue Already Tops Budget for Year

Fayetteville’s Growth Greatest Among Towns

La Grange’s economy continues to expand at an even faster pace than most surrounding towns, Texas sales tax data indicates.

State Comptroller Glenn Hegar sent La Grange $217,489 in October as its monthly share of sales taxes collected here.

That brings the 2023 total to more than $2.2 million, up 10.9% from the same time last year.

Of the 24 towns the Record tracks in surrounding counties, only two have had greater growth than La Grange this year. Giddings is up 14.4% and Lockhart is up 12.6%.

Among Fayette County towns, however, La Grange is only in the middle of the pack.

Fayetteville has boomed this year, jumping from $104,234 in the first 10 months of 2022 to $182,300 this year, an increase of 74.9%, far and away the greatest growth in the region.

Round Top has also boomed. Its sales tax revenue this year is up 19.1% from last year. And Schulenburg is up 15.7%.

Six of the county’s seven towns have seen increases this year – all by more than the rate of inflation. Flatonia is up 9.0% and Ellinger up 5.1%. Only Carmine has experienced a loss, down 4.9% from this time a year ago.

Bastrop continues to be the region’s largest retail center. It has collected over $10 million in 10 months, up 8.5% from a year ago. Brenham is second, with just under $8 million so far, up 5.3%.

Counties also can levy the optional local sales tax. Nine counties in the region do so.

Fayette County’s 2023 budget included $2.7 million for the entire year from its one-half percent tax on retail sales. Already it has received $2,728,931, with two more months to go.

That’s up 8.4% from a year ago and contributes substantially to the county’s total tax revenue. It’s still a much smaller amount, however, than property taxes, which amount to about $18.7 million a year.

Fayette ranks behind Bastrop, Washington and Caldwell in the region in terms of total retail sales. It’s followed by Gonzales, Austin, Colorado, Lee and Burelson counties.

The greatest growth among them so far this year has been Caldwell County, which is up 21.7%. It includes Lockhart and Luling, both of which have seen substantial increases in subdivisions as Austin’s surging population spills into the surrounding counties