Mississippi Department of Revenue data shows West Point tax returns collected in September and received by the city this month are up when compared to the same months in 2012, while Columbus and Starkville returns were down.
West Point received $188,587.91 in regular sales tax dollars this month after MDR collected 81.5 percent of its September collection and returned the remaining 18.5 percent. That’s a $16,283.09 improvement from the November 2012 collection of $172,304.82. Through five months beginning in May when the city marks the start of its yearly collection period, a total of $895,488.57 has been collected.
Columbus saw a $21,819.61 dip from November 2012’s total. This month last year, the city reported a non-restaurant, non-hotel tax disbursement of $699,400.48. This year’s total for November was $677,580.87. October marks the start of yearly tax totals for Columbus, so the city is down for each of the first two months of its fiscal year.
Through two months, the total collection is $1,390,150.91.
Columbus’ restaurant and motel tax collections were also down. Last November, $20,320.53 in motel revenues was reported. That figure for this month is $17,546.48, a $2,774.05 decrease. The restaurant tax collection was $112,527.31, down just $228.08.
Starkville’s decrease was more minimal after breaking its general sales tax record last month, sliding by $1,546.44. The city collected $496,970.22 in November 2013 compared to $498,516.66 in November 2012.
Through two months, the city has collected $1,082,911.95.
Starkville’s 2-percent tax total was down more than its general sales tax return. The city reported $18,347.66 last November compared to $14,414.97 this month. That is a $3,932.69 difference.
West Point’s tourism tax returns fell slightly. That total was $17,168.21 this November. In November 2012 it was $19,119.67, a $1,951.46 decrease.
Nathan Gregory covers city and county government for The Dispatch.
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