The effects of the Best Buy Call Center on the amount of sales taxes generated in San Marcos have apparently begun to wane.
Figures released by Comptroller Glen Hegar earlier this month revealed that the city’s February allocation, based on December collection, was down 9.18 percent compared to last year. That follows a year of double-digit increases that kicked in after Best Buy collections kicked in in September of that year, according to the city’s Finance Director Heather Hurlbert.
Moreover, she said, since February allocations are based on December sales, “It appears more Christmas shopping was done in November than December of this year.”
“The city will see smaller percentage growth going forward since we have completed the first 12 months of collections from the Best Buy Call Center,” Hurlbert said, adding that Best Buy generated $7 million in sales tax revenue over that 12-month period.
In perspective, the city’s January 2018 allocation topped the year prior by 43.68 percent; in February it was $59.03 percent; in March, 25.68 percent; in April 16.2 percent; in May 28.62 percent; in June 15.21 percent; in July 25.17 percent, in August 20.68 percent, in September 24.7 percent, In November 7.10 percent and in December 10.38 percent. The Record did not report on sales tax allocations delivered in October.
Hurlbert noted that, “If you average sales taxes for November and December, which were reported by the comptroller in January and February, together the city’s collections increased 5.6 percent” from collections in November 2018, which were reported by the compotr9ller in January.
For the first two months of the year, San Marcos is ahead 5.60 percent compared to a year ago.
Elsewhere in Hays County, Buda’s monthly allocation was up 3.01 percent, Dripping Springs’ was up 14.55 percent, Hays City’s was down 61.11 percent, Kyle’s was up 9.80 percent, Mountain City’s was down 29.40 percent, Niederwald’s was up 15.76 percent, Uhland’s was down 12.63 percent, Wimberley’s was up .33 percent and Woodcreek’s was down 3.01 percent.
San Marcos, Buda, Kyle and Uhland have a sales tax of 1.5 percent. It is 1.25 percent in Dripping Springs and 1 percent in Hays City, Mountain City, Niederwald, Wimberley and Woodcreek.
