Sales tax revenues up for first time since May

After four consecutive months of declining parish sales and use tax revenues, October saw a 7.4 percent increase in revenues compared to the same month in 2013, St. Mary Parish Sales and Use Director Jeffery LaGrange said in an email.
October’s sales and use tax revenues totaled $3,942,000 excluding audit collections, and $4,032,000 including audit collections. Sales tax numbers rose 7.4 percent compared to October 2013 revenues without audit collections and 2.3 percent including audit collections.
LaGrange said the economy is doing fairly well, and revenues have been almost even with 2013 with the exception of the first quarter, which was much higher. “Even though we had dips after May, June, July, August and September, it was pretty close to ‘13,” LaGrange said. “So it’s not like we’re seeing any major downturn in the economy.”
LaGrange hopes the parish sales and use tax revenues will finish the year slightly higher than 2013, he said. “If October’s an indication, then November should be good as well as December,” LaGrange said.
The parish hotel-motel tax numbers were up slightly by 0.5 percent from October 2013. The tax brought in $59,262.87 for October.
The City of Morgan City’s 0.3 percent sales tax for roads garnered $87,990.48 in October to bring the year-to-date collections to $860,003.41. Morgan City regular 0.3 percent sales tax accumulated $88,841.54 in October bringing the year-to-date collections to $856,680.56.
The following occupational license fees were collected in October: St. Mary Parish, $9,319; City of Morgan City, $2,670; City of Patterson, $1,333; City of Franklin, $293; Town of Baldwin, $121; and Town of Berwick, $25.