Columbus’ sales tax revenue is off to a booming start for Fiscal Year 2015-16.
The city has collected more than $1.57 million in sales tax revenue through August and September. Chief Financial Officer Milton Rawle said the rapid growth has pushed the city to its fastest start on record, or at least back to 1989.
The city collected $793,973 in October and $778,055 in November. The state of Mississippi first collects sales tax revenue, then pays it out to the city about two months after its initial collection.
So far, the city’s sales tax revenues are nearly $100,000 ahead of where they were at the same time last year.
“We’re ahead of last year by $99,354,” Rawle said.
Rawle said its hard to know what exactly is driving the continued sales tax growth — the state, he said, cannot break down which businesses generated how much revenue. He’s previously told the Columbus City Council that the steady influx of new business to the city has likely been the engine driving increased revenues.
Fiscal year 2015-16’s fast start comes on the heels of a record-breaking year for the city.
In Fiscal year 2014-15, the city drew in more than $9.3 million in sales tax revenue. The fiscal year’s total broke a record for the city, and was the first time on record sales tax revenues broke $9 million.
In the fall, Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau Executive Director Nancy Carpenter told The Dispatch that the CVB had focused extensively on using social media and other avenues to push Columbus as a tourist destination.
She also said events, such as football games, tournaments and graduations at Mississippi Sate University, in addition to events on the waterway or major festivals have played a key role in pulling more visitors — and potential sales tax dollars — to the city.
Alex Holloway was formerly a reporter with The Dispatch.
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