Both Columbus and Starkville saw an increase in general sales tax collections this month compared to July 2025, but Columbus is still projected to fall shy of its projected $12 million budget for this fiscal year.
Meanwhile, Starkville is still on track to exceed its projected budget of $10.3 million by about $131,045 despite continuing to lag behind its Fiscal Year 2025 collections.
Both cities’ budget cycles began Oct. 1. while West Point’s fiscal year begins July 1, meaning this month is the start of that city’s 2027 fiscal year. West Point’s projected budget for this year has increased to $3.1 million after successfully surpassing its $2.9 million budget for Fiscal Year 2026.
West Point made a strong showing for its first months of collections, currently projected to surpass its budget by $162,296.
Sales tax diversion runs on a three-month window. Sales tax is collected at the register in the first month, sent to the Mississippi Department of Revenue in the next, and dispersed to cities in the third. Therefore, July reported collections reflect May sales.
Columbus
Columbus received about $1,038,563 from general sales tax collections this month, representing a 5.02% increase from July 2025 collections of $988,933. This also marks a 10.11% increase from last month’s collection of $943,286.
So far this fiscal year, Columbus has collected about $9,925,675 in general sales tax, a 2.5% increase from last year at this time. The city continues to be on track to fall short of its $12 million projected budget, currently projecting to miss it by about $379,827.
The city’s restaurant and lounge tax brought in about $248,408, up by 3.76% from last July’s collections. This also marks a 4.57% increase from last month’s collections.
Year-to-date, Columbus’ restaurant tax collection is up by 10.56%, with about $2,492,094 collected so far this fiscal year, compared to this time last year ($2,172,752.24).
Columbus collected about $39,399 via its hotel/motel tax, a 0.17% decrease compared to collections from last July ($39,406). This is a 19.78% decrease from last month’s collections of about $49,040.
The city’s hotel tax has brought in about $403,366 so far this fiscal year, a 1.69% increase, compared to this time last year ($396,580).
Starkville
Starkville collected about $902,839 in general sales tax this month, a 3.38% increase from July 2025 collections of $873,307. This month’s collections also represent a 7.63% jump from last month’s collections of about $838,853.
So far this fiscal year, the city has collected $8,692,538, which is a 0.4% decrease from collections this time last year ($8,727,788). Starkville is still on pace to exceed its $10.3 million projected budget by about $131,045.
Starkville’s restaurant tax has brought in $301,921, up 2.06% from this time last year. This collection also marks a 0.21% decrease from last month’s collections.
Year-to-date, the city has collected $2,831,046 in restaurant tax, a 5.47% increase from last year ($2,684,279).
Starkville collected about $178,065 from its tourism tax this month, a 3.48% increase from July 2025 of $172,082. This also marks a 0.69% decrease from last month’s collection of $179,306.
Year-to-date, the city has brought in about $1,624,290 from its tourism tax, a 4.13% increase from this time last year ($1,559,811).
West Point
The city received about $271,858 in sales tax diversion this month, marking a 6.91% increase from July 2025 collections ($254,285). This is a 0.57% rise from June’s collection of about $270,318.
The city’s tourism tax brought in about $36,987 this month, a 2.63% decrease from July 2025 collections of $37,986. This marks a 5.61% increase from last month’s collection of $35,023.
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