Sales taxes tumble again

BENTON COUNTY — September's sales-tax revenue, reported to Bentonville and Rogers on Monday, indicated no economic relief as the recession apparently continues in northwest Arkansas.

Rogers' sales-tax revenue was down 8.47 percent, representing a drop of more than $80,000 in July over the same month in 2008. Bentonville's fell 24.42 percent, again showing how the extreme highs in 2008 were merely a fluke.

But despite repeated declines in sales-tax revenue, there is no sense of panic in either city, just extreme conservatism.

"We're going to be OK this year," Rogers Treasurer Jerry Hudlow said. "Next year, I'll be very conservative on my estimations with hopes that it turnsaround mid-year."

Both cities have credited other revenue sources with stabilizing their income.

"Right now, we are running about $10,000 above where we budgeted," Bentonville Finance Director Denise Land said. "A long time ago, we started comparing ourselves in '07."

With northwest Arkansas avoiding the recession early on, Bentonville and Rogerswere able to prepare for what they saw happening around the country and knew would eventually come here.

"I'm glad to be holding my own," Land said.

But there is still hope amid the realism.

"My personal opinion is that Rogers will probably pull out before the rest of the country, but you never know," Hudlow said.