City, county showing significant sales tax gains

Posted

With one month left to report, the city of Perryville is projected to exceed its 2019 sales tax revenue by about 6.37 percent in 2020.
Through the first 11 months of 2020, Perryville’s revenue was $1,733,274.91, down $49,800.65 from the $1,783,075.56 in projected sales tax revenue in 2019.
Since the start of 2015, there have been nine months out of 71 in which the city’s revenue projection was $180,000 or better. Two of those nine months were in 2020, as Perryville projected a revenue total of $187,931.40 in June of last year as well as $184,931.99 this past November.
Looking a little further back, there have been only 12 times since the start of 2007 that Perryville’s sales tax revenue was $180,000 or higher.
The projections in 2020 mark the first time since 2016 (May, $186,632.06 and August, $180,177.75) only the fourth time since 2007 in which Perryville had two months of better than $180,000 in sales tax revenue. The only other years in which the city had two months of more than $180,000 were 2007 (August, $210,377.02 and November, $185,347.99) and 2015 (May, $184.072.40 and August, $184,502.68).
The sales tax revenue total for November 2020 of $184,931.99 is the highest total for that specific month since November 2007, in which the city reported $185,347.99 in revenue.

“For the most part, I think a lot of people traded vacations for home improvement projects and eating out for cooking in,” said Perryville city administrator Brent Buerck. “Less people also travel north and south to go shopping, staying home and spending that money (here) instead. Finally, I think part of the bump is due to the Illinois restrictions and southern Illinois visitors coming to our stores and restaurants.”
Buerck isn’t certain what the December figures will reveal.
“I’m unsure what Christmas numbers will bring,” he said. “I don’t expect the overall trend for the year to change significantly.”
For Perry County, the revenue projections are showing better than an 8.5 percent increase over last year at this time. County clerk Jared Kutz tracks sales tax revenue the month it is received, and the December tally for November purchases was at a year-high of $140,605.35. It’s the highest monthly total since August 2019 ($146,048.18).
The first 11 months of 2019 showed a combined sales tax revenue amount of $1,372,287.61 while the first 11 months of 2020 were $1,489,697.77, up $117,410.16, or about 8.56 percent. The November total of $140,605.35 was the best month of 2020, narrowly edging out June ($139,158.58).
Just behind the 2019 monthly high of August ($146,048.18), was February ($134,880).