Columbus’ sales tax collections rose 1.37% this month, while Starkville and West Point collections fell 8.19% and 2.82%, respectively, from July.

Both Columbus and Starkville are running ahead of their Fiscal Year 2024 pace, but Columbus is still short of its projected budget. The new fiscal year for both cities begins Oct. 1, meaning next month will be the city’s last chance to make up lost ground.

Sales tax diversions run on a three-month window. Taxes are collected by retailers in the first month, sent to Mississippi Department of Revenue the next and then disbursed to cities and counties the third. Therefore, August reported collections reflect sales from June.

Columbus

Columbus collected $1,002,481.80 in sales tax revenue this month, up from last month’s collections of $988,933.32. It also marks a 3.86% increase from August 2024 collections of $965,197.97.

So far this fiscal year, the city has collected $10,685,958.38, marking a 1.22% increase from this time last year ($10,556,967.60)

At its current pace, the city would need to collect $1,114,041.62 next month to meet its projected sales tax budget of $11.8 million for the fiscal year. This would require a 21.12% increase in collections from September 2024 collections of $919,334.20.

This fiscal year, Columbus has averaged about $971,450.76 in sales tax diversions each month, a pace which has the city projected to fall $142,590.80 short of its budget.

The city’s restaurant and lounge tax dropped 7.83%, with $220,645.68 collected this month compared to July’s collection of $239,407.35. This is a 5.04% jump from August 2024 collections of $210,056.13.

Year-to-date, restaurant sales tax collections are up 3.5% with $2,393,397.92 collected so far this fiscal year, compared to this time last year ($2,312,312.04).

The city’s hotel/motel tax brought in $40,934.43 this month, up 3.87% from last month’s collection of $39,406.22. This is a 6.01% increase from this time last year ($38,612.61).

Year-to-date, the city has collected $437,514.51 in motel tax revenue, up 2.80% from this time last year ($425,559.62).

Starkville

Starkville collected $801,781 this month, down from July’s collections of $873,307. However, it marks an 8.05% increase from August 2024 collections of $741,982.

Starkville’s collections have continued to slump from huge gains reported in June, but the city is still on pace to exceed its projected sales tax budget of $9.73 million by about $665,894.54, with an average monthly collection of about $866,324.54.

Year-to-date, the city has collected $9,529,570 in sales tax diversions, a 13.82% increase from this time last year ($8,371,868).

Starkville saw a decrease in month-to-month collections of both its restaurants sales tax diversions, which assist in funding for economic development and tourism, as well as its tourism sales tax, which funds the Convention and Visitors Bureau as well as parks.

The city brought in $225,911 from restaurant sales tax diversions this month, a 23.63% decrease from July ($295,821). This marks a 0.16% decrease from this time last year ($226,290).

Year-to-date, Starkville has collected $2,960,191 in restaurant sales tax, marking a 4.37% increase from this time last year ($2,836,104).

Starkville’s tourism tax brought in $133,530 this month, a 22.40% decrease from last month’s collection of $172,082. This marked a 0.26% decrease from last year’s August collection of $133,879.

Year-to-date, the city has collected $1,693,342 from tourism tax diversions, marking a 4.48% increase from this time last year ($1,620,705).

West Point

West Point’s budget cycle began July 1.

The city collected $212,513.07 in sales tax diversions this month, down 2.82% from last month’s collection of $218,701.84. This marks an 11.63% decrease from August 2024 ($240,494.06).

Two months into its new budget cycle, West Point has collected $431,214.91 so far this fiscal year, marking a 14.46% drop from this time last year ($504,147.39).

The city’s tourism tax brought in $33,168.67 this month, a 12.68% decrease from July’s collection of $37,986.67. This is still an 11.28% increase from this time last year ($29,805.60).

Year-to-date, the city has collected $71,155.34 in tourism tax diversions, marking a 7.35% increase from this time last year ($66,277.38).