Northwest Arkansas Counties Get Mixed News On Sales Tax

BENTONVILLE -- Officials in Benton and Washington counties got good news and bad news this month about their respective county sales tax revenue.

In Benton County, sales tax receipts received in September were down compared to the same month last year, leading officials to wonder why. In Washington County, tax receipts for the month were up. That continued a six-month trend of increasing revenue. Tax receipts received in September were collected by merchants in July.

Bobby Hill, chief deputy treasurer for Washington County, said the county's collection for the year looks good.

"We're up about 3 percent this year over last year," Hill said. "We projected about a 1.8 percent increase. If it holds up for the next three months, we'll be good."

Washington County typically has good months for sales tax collection in August and September. Those numbers will be reported in October and November, Hill said.

"We anticipate a couple of good months," he said. "We've got back to school, Razorback home games and Bikes, Blues & BBQ in August and September."

Washington County sales tax collection saw a two-month dip in February and March, but have been consistently up since then, Hill said.

"We've had six straight months of increases," he said.

In Benton County, officials pondered the erratic sales tax collection throughout the year. September saw a 3.18 percent decrease from last year, and the county has been up and down all year.

"That's been the interesting dilemma," Tom Allen, justice of the peace for District 4 and chairman of the Finance Committee, said. "I wonder what's been happening in rural Benton County to make ours fluctuate?"

Mike Crandall, Benton County accounting manager, said tax receipts for September were down for the second straight month. The county's tax receipts were up in January, down in February and March, up in April and May, then down in June, according to information from Crandall. Tax collection was up for July and August before dropping again in September, he said.

For the year, Crandall said, the tax receipts are up $51,162 over 2013.

"We're disappointed for the amount we received for September, but we're still slightly ahead for the year," Crandall said.

NW News on 09/25/2014

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