BENTONVILLE -- County sales tax receipts for July were mixed, with Washington County showing an increase and Benton County's receipts dropping when compared with the same month last year.
Officials in both counties remained optimistic.
"For July, we brought in $562,206," said Bobby Hill, Washington County treasurer. "That is $19,012 more than the same month last year, or a 3.4 percent increase over this time last year."
Hill said Washington County's sales tax revenue has been growing steadily, and he expects that to continue.
"Fifteen of the last 16 months have seen an increase," he said. "On top of that, for the first time since 2010, this month we finally exceeded where we were in 2010."
Hill said 2010 was the last year before the U.S. census caused the county's share of the sales tax to decline, since the county and cities share on a per capita basis.
"In July 2010, we had $560,500," he said. "In July 2015, we had $562,205. So we've caught up. Now it's just growth."
Hill said Washington County is on pace to exceed its 2015 budget projection of $6.3 million in sales tax revenue, a 1.3 percent increase over 2014. The county is now $215,000, or 5.7 percent, ahead of its 2014 collection. He said he thinks the remainder of the year will see continued growth, pointing specifically to continued low gas prices.
"I'm a big believer that low gas prices mean good sales tax returns," he said. "If it goes above $3, all bets are off."
Brenda Guenther, Benton County comptroller, said July sales tax receipts were $666,528. The amount was $27,890, or 4 percent, below the $694,418 the county received in July 2014.
July sales tax receipts are from taxes collected by merchants in May. Guenther said the county remains ahead of 2014, with year-to-date receipts through July 2015 being $317,935, or 7.36 percent, ahead of the same time last year.
Benton County budgeted for $7.3 million in sales tax revenue in 2015, the same as 2014.
Joel Jones of District 7 said the drop in receipts for July doesn't concern him.
"It fluctuates during the year," he said. "We can't be up every month. That doesn't concern me unless it continues to go down and goes down dramatically."
Tom Allen of District 4 and chairman of the county's Finance Committee, also said he's not worried by the dip, pointing out the July 2014 receipts showed a large monthly increase.
"We're still doing good for the year," Allen said.
NW News on 07/25/2015