La Grange Ends Year With Record Sales Tax Revenue

La Grange has set a new record for sales tax revenue in 2021. Despite the lingering effects of Covid and labor shortages, the city took in more than $2.25 million, thanks to local retail sales.

State Comptroller Glenn Hegar rebated $196,530 to La Grange for December. That put the year’s total at $2,255,854, up 12.1% from 2020.

That puts into the city’s treasury nearly a quarter million dollars above last year’s $2,012,442.

All six of Fayette County’s incorporated towns saw sales tax gains. The newest city, Ellinger, got $4,890 for December, compared to zero last year.

Schulenburg, the county’s second largest town, got $951,324 for the year, up 4.8% from last year. Flatonia got $399,550, a gain of 8.8%.

The big growth, however was in the northeastern part of the county.

Fayetteville, with $122,381 for the year, is 22.5% ahead of last year. Carmine, with $132,605, is up 35.0%. And Round Top jumped 57.5% from last year, netting $363,393 for the full 12 months.

Towns in neighboring counties generally saw increases too, but few at the pace Fayette towns saw.

Of the 18 towns outside Fayette County that the Record tracks, only six had bigger percentage gains than La Grange.

With new subdivisions sprouting in all directions, Bastrop continues to be the area’s largest retail center. The city of Bastrop got just under $10 million in sales tax revenue for the year, up 21.7% from last year.

Brenham is the second largest, with $7.9 million for the year, up 13.9%.

Of the 25 area towns tracked by the Record, all but four had growth in 2021. Gonzales, Giddings, Columbus and Caldwell had dips from last year.

Round Top and Carmine had by far the greatest percentage growth this year. The only others with gains above 20% were Fayetteville and Bastrop.

Counties also are allowed to levy the optional local sales tax. Nine in this area do so.

Fayette County again got more than $2 million in sales tax revenue. It ends the year with $2,385,558, a 12.5% gain from last year. Bastrop County had both the most dollars received and the biggest percentage gain. It took in $6.5 million, up 21.1% from last year. Washington County got over $3.5 million, a 16.9% gain. Caldwell and Austin counties both had smaller gains. Four of the nine counties were down in 2021 from last year. They are Gonzales, Colorado, Lee and Burleson.