DALLAS - Texas sales tax revenues for February rose to $2.2 billion, a 5.8% increase over the same month in 2013.
"Sales tax revenue continues its growth streak and has now increased for 47 consecutive months," the state's comptroller, Susan Combs, said in a statement. "Growth in tax collections was seen across all major economic sectors including oil and gas, wholesale trade and the services sector."
Combs will send cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts March local sales tax allocations totaling $553 million, up 4.1 percent compared to March 2013.
February revenues were down slightly from the $2.3 billion collected in January.
February is the sixth month of Texas' fiscal year. Year-to-date, sales tax revenues are up 7%, Combs said.
Among the largest cities, Houston recorded an 8.98% increase to $49 million, while San Antonio's sales tax surged 16.3% to $20.9 million. Dallas' share of the receipts fell 1.98% to $18.2 million as Austin's rose 3.4% to $13.1 million. Fort Worth's revenues rose 2.88% to $9.1 million. Arlington, the largest city between Dallas and Fort Worth and the state's sixth largest overall, recorded a dramatic 30.3% drop to $7.3 million.
Other cities that saw sales tax revenues fall included El Paso, Amarillo, McAllen, and Irving.
Combs, whose tenure as comptroller ends this year, will likely turn over the office next year to state Sen. Glenn Hegar, R-Katy, who won the Republican nomination against Rep. Harvey Hildebran, R-Kerrville, March 4.
Democrat Mike Collier, who has never held elective office, is considered a long shot to win election as comptroller in a state that has not elected a Democrat to a statewide office in more than 20 years.
