City’s sales tax rebate up for second month in a row

The city of Graham saw a rise in sales tax rebates for the second month in a row, compared with the same month last year.

Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar will send cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts $679.9 million in local sales tax allocations for July, 9 percent more than in July 2016.

These allocations are based on sales made in May by businesses that report tax monthly.

“The cities of Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Austin, Fort Worth, Midland and Odessa saw noticeable increases in sales tax allocations,” Hegar said.

Sales tax rebates in Texas are consistent with a pattern that began with last year’s decline in the oil and gas industry and has affected counties statewide, including Young County and particularly, Graham.

It should be noted that sales taxes do not make up the bulk of a city’s revenues.

Graham’s rebate this month from its 1.5 percent rate was $174,703.93, up 3.96 percent from the $168,035.12 rebate received during the same month last year. So far this year, the city’s rebates are down 5.06 percent, to $1,248,187.92, compared to $1,314,752.87 received at this time last year.

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