Sales tax revenues increased in August

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Texas Comptroller Susan Combs announced Wednesday that state sales tax revenue in August was $2.34 billion, up 18.5 percent compared to August 2011.

“The strong business and consumer spending trend boosted the monthly sales tax revenue, as did money remitted at the close of the state’s tax amnesty which ended in August,” Combs said. “The state’s sales tax revenue for fiscal 2012 was $24.1 billion, about 12.6 percent higher than the previous fiscal year. Collections from business sectors such as the oil and natural gas industry and consumer sectors including retail trade increased sales tax revenue for the fiscal year.”

Combs will send July local sales tax allocations totaling $559.2 million to cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts. September sales tax allocations are up 15.5 percent compared to September 2011.

The sales tax figures represent monthly sales made in July as well as money remitted at the close of the tax amnesty period.

For details of local sales tax allocations in September to individual cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose districts, locate the Monthly Sales Tax Allocation Comparison Summary Reports on the comptroller’s website .