SALES TAX BOON

Sales tax allocations numbers spiked in April with both Wimberley and Woodcreek showing more than a 30 percent increase compared to the same month last year. But much of the increase was not reflected in local sales.

The April allocations represent one percent of all sales made within each city limits during the month of February.

The city of Wimberley received $75,584.26 is sales tax allocations this month, up 30.96 percent compared to the same month last year. The majority of the increase came from businesses paying their taxes early. Of the nearly $18,000 increase, around $12,500 was from “future period collections,” which means businesses were paying ahead. Still, around $5,500 did in fact come from increased sales within the district.

Year to date, the city of Wimberley has collected $303,434.36, up 7.09 percent compared to the same months last year.

The city of Woodcreek also saw a huge jump in sales tax allocations but its increase largely came from collecting back taxes that had not be paid. Woodcreek received $4,337.69 in sales tax allocations for the month of April, which was up a total of 36.49 percent. On the year, Woodcreek has collected $16,833.97, up 17.83 percent.

The Wimberley Village Library, which collects half a percent of sales tax from businesses within Wimberley ISD, also saw a large jump. The $50,571.31 allocated in April was 30.83 percent from the $38,651.98 collected during the same month last year. Of the nearly $12,000 jump, $7,000 was from future period collections meaning sales from businesses within WISD saw an increase of about 12.5 percent in sales during the month.

The story was true across most of Hays County.

Eight of Hays County’s 10 taxing municipalities saw double digit increases in the monthly sales tax rebate from the State Comptroller’s Office. One saw a smaller increase and one, a double-digit deficit.

For the city of San Marcos, the allocation for April was $2,591,988.49, up 13.59 percent over the $2.281.831.68 allocated in April of last year. So far this year the city has received $13,855,224.50, which is an increase of 6.62 percent over the first four months of 2018. San Marcos’ sales tax is 1.5 percent.

Here’s how everyone else fared:

• Buda: Monthly rebate $578,673.97, up 21.74 percent. Year to date total: $2,311,893.28, up 8.25 percent. Buda’s sales tax is 1.5 percent.

• Dripping Springs: Monthly rebate $213,123.59, up 43.07 percent. Year to date total: $867,616.78, up 23.15 percent. Dripping Springs’ tax rate is 1.25 percent.

• Hays City: Monthly rebate $796.23, down 15.11 percent. Year to date total: $4,681.13, down 19.94 percent. Hays City’s sales tax rate is 1 percent.

• Kyle: Monthly rebate $661.430.59, up 27.26 percent. Year to date total: $2,717.362.73, up 10.02 percent. Kyle’s sales tax rate is 1.5 percent.

• Mountain City: Monthly rebate $1,466.38, up 2.93 percent. Year to date total: $5,926.75, down 15.11 percent. Mountain City’s sales tax rate is 1 percent.

• Niederwald: Monthly rebate $3664.30, up 53.15 percent. Year to date total: $14,929.34, up 29.97 percent. Niederwald’s sales tax rate is 1 percent.

• Uhland: Monthly rebate $17,994,19, up 24 percent. Year to date total: $68,845.95, up 3.07 percent. Uhland’s sales tax rate is 1.5 percent.

Statewide, Comptroller Glenn Hegar said, municipal allocations were up by 8.4 percent. April rebates are based on sales that occurred in February.

Anita Miller with the San Marcos Daily Record compiled countywide results.