Sales tax revenue for March was down in Rogers, Fayetteville and Bentonville, but Springdale saw a modest gain.
Sales taxes received in March reflects January tax collected in February. Comparisons are based on collection from the same month in the previous year. Each city, with the exception of Bella Vista, collects a 2 percent sales tax. One percent is devoted to repaying bonds. The other 1 percent goes into each city's general fund. For the purpose of this report, NWA Media tracks the 1 percent going into general funds.
By The Numbers (w/logo)
March Sales Taxes
City20132014Percentage ChangeYTD20132014
Bentonville$1,078,176$762,246 -29$2,790,801$2,335,577
Rogers$1,070,1591,037,373-3$3,629,388*$3,691,762
Springdale$784,253$813,815+4$2,540,762*$2,501,106
Fayetteville$1,424,371$1,325,511-7$4,632,943*$4,502,219
Siloam Springs$274,959$216,761-21$746,817*$739,321
Bella Vista$102,475$110,629+8$325,618*$329,545
Lowell$336,868$218,898-35$729,723 *$711,081
Source: Staff Report
Rogers sales tax money decreased 3 percent compared to last March. The city received $1,037,373 this month compared with $1,070,159 last year, a $32,786 decrease.
"I'm a little disappointed," said Casey Wilhelm, Rogers finance director.
"We had some snow in January, and that may have played a part in our downturn. Sales tax revenue is nearly flat for the first three months compared to last year. I am going to keep a good thought. Warmer weather will be moving to the area over the next four or five weeks, and that may heat sales up," Wilhelm said.
Springdale sales tax revenue increased $29,562 compared to 2013. Sales tax money for the month topped out at $813,815, compared with last year when the city received $784,253, a 4 percent increase.
"We were down about 3 percent last year in March, so we made up the difference this month," said Wyman Morgan, Springdale director of finance and administration.
"Our sales tax revenue doesn't fluctuate as much as the other cities. We are pretty stable. We're not a big retail center like Fayetteville and Rogers. Our sales tax revenue comes from staples. We are the only big city in the black this month. I don't want to see the other cities down. I feel their pain because we've been there," Morgan said.
Bentonville registered the biggest loss at $315,930 compared to last year. Sales tax money for March was $762,246 compared with $1,078,176 last year, a 29 percent drop.
"I'm blaming the weather for part of the downturn. I don't think we are going to get any more snow for a while. I hope not. I'm tired of snow," said Denise Land, Bentonville finance director.
"On the other hand, we had our best March sales tax month ever last year, so we are up against a strong year. We budget for $750,000 in city sales tax revenue per month, so as long are we are over $750,000, I'm happy," Land said.
Fayetteville took a much smaller hit, down 7 percent. Sales tax revenue for the month was $1,325,511 compared with $1,424,371 last year, a $98,860 drop.
"Well, needless to say, I am disappointed," said Paul Becker, Fayetteville finance director. "You can't always expect to go up every month. We'll just have to wait and see what happens next month."
NW News on 03/22/2014