The monthly sales tax report from Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar showed major cities throughout the state generally getting a little less in sales tax revenues this month, with an overall dip of 0.3 percent. Austin’s revenues were down just 0.05 percent compared to the same payment last year, but were up about 3 percent for the year so far. The news from Round Rock looked considerably different. The comptroller reported that the Austin suburb collected 20.3 percent less money during the month than a year earlier. But Round Rock is still 1.17 percent ahead of last year overall. Kevin Lyons, a spokesperson for the comptroller’s office, explained that one large company decided to pay their taxes early last year, contributing to the impression that Round Rock collected nearly $3 million more last July than this year. However, if the payments had been spread out over several months as they were this year, they would show very little change, he said. Statewide, cities showed a 0.3 percent drop from July of last year, but were up 1.9 percent overall. Transit systems were down 0.9 percent and counties saw a 1 percent drop for the month but each had collected about 1.5 percent more in sales taxes for the year so far, according to Hegar’s report.
This whisper has been corrected. One Round Rock company paid early last year, not three.