As Year-End Nears, Area Sales Tax Setting Records

With November’s payments from the state, most area towns are headed for a record year in sales tax receipts.

Six of Fayette County’s seven towns are at the highest levels ever – with three of them ahead of last year by double digits.

Fayetteville still leads all 25 of the area towns tracked by the Record, with a gain of 66.2% over last year at this time. Through November, Fayetteville has received $193,116 from its 1.5% local sales tax – far more than twice what it got three years ago at this time.

Round Top is up 18.3% for the year. It also has doubled its 2020 collections, a vivid reflection of the growing impact of “weekenders” from Houston.

Carmine, on the other hand, is alone in the county in having a decline this year. Although Carmine’s collections so far are down 4.1% from last year, that is due primarily to having had an unusually strong 2022. It’s 2023 revenue is far above any other prior year.

La Grange is just shy of $2.5 million through November, up 9.2% from this time last year. That amounts to about $200,000 more coming into the city treasury than last year. That’s good news for the municipality, still operating without a permanent city manager.

Schulenburg, the county’s second largest town, is up 14.3% for the year, with over $1.3 million. Flatonia is up 7.3% and Ellinger is up 4.6%.

Of the 25 towns that the Record tracks, 22 have increases.

Nine area counties also levy the optional local sales tax.

Fayette County has received just under $3 million from it so far this year. That’s up 8.0% from this time a year ago.

Colorado County is up 34.0% for the year – highest among the nine.

Caldwell County, home of fast-growing Lockhart, us up 21.7% and Gonzales County is up 15.6%.

All nine of the counties have increases compared to last year. According to State Comptroller Glenn Hegar, overall sales tax payments to Texas counties are up 9.7%.