Pandemic Takes Toll On Area’s Sales Tax

La Grange will struggle to reach $2 million in sales tax for 2020, another grim indicator of the pandemic’s powerful punch.

City sales tax revenue hasn’t been below $2 million since 2017, but November’s rebate from the state was down again from last year. La Grange got only $168,047 this month, compared to over $194,000 last November.

With 11 months now in the books, La Grange sales tax amounts to just over $1.8 million. Unless December sees an unexpected surge, it won’t reach the $2 million mark.

Three of Fayette County’s six cities are down this year. Interestingly, the three cities that are up are all located either on I-10 or US 290.

Schulenburg has received $837,639 so far this year, up 11.4% from this point last year, giving it the biggest gain in the county. Carmine, on US 290, is up 4.5%, with $91,926 through November. Flatonia is up 3.5%, at $335,486.

La Grange is down 8% from last year. Round Top is down 11.7% and Fayetteville is down 10.7%.

Much the same is seen throughout the region.

Of the 24 towns tracked by the Record, 13 have seen gains while 11 have declined in 2020.

Nine counties in the area levy the optional local sales tax. Of them five are up and four are down.

Fayette County has collected $1,940,749 so far this year. That’s down only 1% from this point last year.

Bastrop County continues to lead the region, with just under $5 million in sales tax during the first 11 months of 2020. Washington County is next with $2.8 million.

The city of Bastrop is by far the largest retail center, garnering nearly $7.5 million for the rapidly growing Austin suburb. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates the Bastrop County population at 88,723 as of July 1, 2019, the latest data available. That’s up 19.5% since the official 2010 Census.

Fayette County, by comparison, was estimated at 25,346 as of July 1, 2019.