DALLAS – While sales tax revenues for Texas state government fell in July, those collected for local governments rose 1.2% compared to the same month last year, according to Comptroller Glenn Hegar.
"The cities of San Antonio, Austin, Fort Worth, Arlington, Plano and Irving saw noticeable increases in sales tax allocations," Hegar said. "Energy-centric cities, such as Houston and Midland, continue to see decreases in sales tax allocations."
Hegar issues two reports each month. The first shows sales tax revenue collected in support of the state government. The second shows his office's collections for local governments, including cities, counties, transportation, hospital and other districts. The latest report represents sales in June that were tabulated in July and distributed in August.
Texas' largest county, Harris, which includes Houston, saw sales tax revenue fall 2.87% for the month. In Houston's affluent western suburbs of Fort Bend County, sales tax revenue grew by 1.48%, while revenue fell 4.11% in northern suburban Montgomery County. Galveston County to the south saw a 3.6% increase.
Dallas County, the state's second most populous, recorded 3.98% growth in revenue. Affluent Collin County to the north, including the fast-growing city of Plano, received 12.6% more revenue for the month compared to the same month in 2015. Tarrant County to the west, which includes Fort Worth, enjoyed a 7.6% boost.
Bexar County, which includes San Antonio, recorded a 5.3% increase in revenue, despite a slump in the Eagle Ford Shale petroleum producing region to the south.
Fast-growing Travis County, which includes Austin, saw a nearly 9.5% surge in revenue for the month.
In the West Texas oil producing region, Midland County saw its sales tax revenues plummet more than 17%. Neighboring Ector County, which includes Odessa, received 18% less sales tax revenue than in July 2015.
On the western tip of Texas, El Paso County received 2.1% less revenue than it did for July 2015.
Cameron County on the southern tip of Texas, including Brownsville, received 0.36% less revenue in July than it did in the same month last year.
