Strong sales power solid month locally

Wimberley and Woodcreek saw a huge increase in sales tax allocations during the month of March along with much of Hays County.

Sales tax allocations are the city’s portion of sales made within the city limits. The allocation made in March represents sales made in January.

Wimberley had an 18.53 percent increase compared to the same month last year receiving $65,712.71 for an increase of almost $10,000. According to statistics posted by the Texas Comptrollers Office, the majority of the increase came from an increase in sales. This put January as one of the top increases in sales, compared to the same month the prior year, since 2017.

The large increase in January sales follows a flat December. The check for the month of December, which was issued in February, is often the largest payment of the year due to sales for Christmas. Wimberley received almost the exact same amount for the month in 2019, $101,961.21, as it did in the same month in 2018, $101,619.53.

Woodcreek saw an even larger percentage jump this month for sales tax, although Woodcreek does not heavily rely on sales tax for city operations. Sales tax allocations were up 26.76 percent for March for a total of $4328.08.

The Wimberley Village Library also saw a large jump this month. The library collects half a percent of sales tax within its district compared to both local cities collecting one percent. The library’s sales tax allocations were up 19.01 percent with a $44,190.28 check. The sales tax collected by the library has increased for six consecutive months compared to the same month the prior year.

Though the percentages differ, all 10 of Hays County’s taxing municipalities posted gains in their sales tax allocations from the State Comptroller’s Office in the most recently-released figures.

San Marcos bounced back from a negative number in February, receiving a March rebate of $2,533,802.52, which is 3.57 percent higher than that of March 2018.

Elsewhere around the county:

• Buda: Monthly allocation of $541,607.10, a 14.13 percent over last year; yearto-date total is $1,733.219, up 4.39 percent.

• Dripping Springs: Monthly allocation of $183,818.21, a 24.76 percent increase over last year; year-to-date total is $652,493.19, up 17.75 percent.

• Hays City: Monthly allocation of $1,162.52, a 24.80 percent increase; year-todate total is $3,884.90, down 20.87 percent.

• Kyle: Monthly allocation of $596,816.39, an 8.91 percent increase; year-todate total is $2,055.932.04, up 5.42 percent.

• Mountain City: Monthly allocation is $1,829.44, a 10.82 percent increase; yearto-date total is $4,460.37, down 19.74 percent.

• Niederwald: Monthly allocation is $3,778.19, a 51.73 percent increase; yearto-date total is $11,285.04, up 23.91 percent.

• Uhland: Month allocation is $18,234.65, a 5.42 percent increase; year-todate total is $50,851.76, down 2.73 percent.

Statewide, Comptroller Glen Hegar said, allocations were running 6.1 percent ahead of March 2018. All told, Hegar’s office distributed $711.7 million in rebates.

Anita Miller with the San Marcos Daily Record contributed to this report.