Holiday season sales showed growth in Northwest Arkansas as cities received taxes collected during December this month.
Springdale grew 9.75 percent and Fayetteville 8.1 percent over the same period last year. Bentonville jumped 46.7 percent and Rogers grew only 3.7 percent.
City tax revenue
City20152016*percent change
Bella Vista$100,952$148,980*+47.6
Bentonville$841,178$1,234,216*+46.7
Centerton$165,834$138,740*-16.33
Fayetteville$1,872,412$2,023,738*+8.1
Lowell$345,145$292,398*-15.28
Rogers$1,611,772$1,671,232*+3.7
Siloam Springs$296,566$319,909*+7.87
Springdale$1,031,099$1,131,671*+9.75
Source: Staff report
Sales tax collected in December is remitted to cities in February. This report tracks a 1 percent sales tax that goes to cities' general funds.
Springdale took in $1,131,671 in sales tax this February compared with $1,031,099 last February, an increase of $100,572.
It marks the second Christmas season in a row with strong growth for Springdale, said Wyman Morgan, administrator and financial services director.
People are buying, and they're spending their dollars locally, Morgan said. Building permits in residential and commercial projects are up, pointing to more growth in Springdale, Morgan said.
The last 12 months have shown an 8.8 percent increase for Springdale. From March 2014 to February 2015 the city received $11,668,354 in a 1 percent sales tax. The city received $12,691,446 during the last 12 months.
"In Springdale the economy is strong and solid," Morgan said.
Bentonville was up 46.7 percent over last year's February receipts. The city took in $1,234,216 in 1 percent sales tax revenue this month compared with $841,178 in 2015, an increase of $393,038.
It wasn't an all-time high for Bentonville, but it was close, said Denise Land, finance director.
"It's right up there," she said.
This month's receipts were the second-highest for the city, about $32,000 short of a record set by September sales.
A 12-month comparison shows a 16.5 increase in receipts for Bentonville. From March 2015 to February the city has received $11,671,181 in 1 percent sales tax. During the same period in 2014 and 2015 the city took in $10,021,261, a $1,649,920 difference.
Paul Becker, finance director of Fayetteville, said he would have been happy with a 2 percent or 3 percent increase because of the jump in receipts last year. He saw an 8.1 percent increase this month over a strong month last year.
Fayetteville took in $2,023,738 this year compared with $1,872,412 in February 2015 receipts, an increase of $151,326.
Whole Foods will open a Fayetteville location early next month, the first in the state, Becker said.
"We expect that to generate some volume," he said.
A 12-month comparison shows a 7.44 percent increase for Fayetteville. From March 2014 to February 2015 the city received $18,563,943 compared with $19,945,979 during the last 12 months.
Growth slowed in Rogers, although the city has a 3.7 increase this February compared with last February.
It's a good number, but she anticipated more growth, said Casey Wilhelm, director of finance.
Rogers took in $1,671,232 this February compared with $1,611,772 in February 2015, an increase of $59,460 or 3.7 percent. Rogers sales tax receipts grew more than $91,000 between November 2014 and November 2015.
The slower growth could indicate more Internet shoppers, Wilhelm said. While large retailers charge sales tax on items purchased online, the tax will go to the city where the item was delivered, not to the city where the store is located.
City sales tax grew 7.8 percent in the past 12 months in Rogers. From March 2014 to February 2015 the city took in $15,094,741 in sales tax. That increased to $16,269,525 between March 2015 to this February, a difference of $1,174,784.
While this month's increase is less than expected the city is still on track for what was budgeted.
"Anything with an upward trend we're definitely pleased with," Wilhelm said.
NW News on 02/28/2016