MILLPORT, Ala. — Millport’s sales tax revenues for the last fiscal year bucked a trend shared by as many as five municipalities in the area, according to an audit report presented to the Millport Town Council on Monday night.
Rick McCabe of McCabe and Associates of Fayette, said the town’s tax revenues were up across the board for fiscal year 2013, including a 10 percent spike in sales tax collections. McCabe said that his accounting firm handles other audits for towns comparable to Millport’s size and the other towns experienced losses in sales tax revenue. The City of Fayette, for example, had a 3 percent loss in sales tax revenues.
“Financially, the town had a very solid year,” McCabe told the council. “All tax revenues are up over last year — sales, property and gas. A lot of other towns have seen another trend.
“Word of caution, though, because we’re not seeing that anywhere else.”
Mayor Icie Wriley said the town’s administration is continuing the efforts of previous mayor Waymon Fields, who guided the town for two terms after it filed for bankruptcy in 2005.
“[Fields] worked hard to get our town financially stable,” said Wriley. “Now we’re in the last month of paying our previous creditors.”
Wriley said a change in local grocery store ownership and brand change — SuperValu is now a Piggly Wiggly — has generated more sales tax revenue because Piggly Wiggly has a deeper inventory of goods.
Wriley said the town could use the funds to aid infrastructure downtown, but those plans would be addressed in the future.
Other figures from the FY 2013 audit:
■ capital project fund $26,316
■ total government funds $326,154
■ total revenues $551,490
■ total expenditures $450,171
■ property tax $31,982
■ sales and use tax $179,013
■ other taxes $29,117
■ licenses and permits $97,031
■ fees and fines $31,710
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