By Rupert Howell

City of Batesville sales tax collections were up one percent over the previous month for June but down seven percent over June of last year according to figures from the State Tax Commission.

The Batesville decrease from last year mirrored the seven percent decrease statewide.

The Batesville Tourism and Development Tax collections that were paid to hotels/motels and restaurants in July totaled $78,060, down almost four percent from the previous July. That tax is a three percent levy on hotel/motel and restaurants that is used to pay the note for Batesville Civic Center and infrastructure along the I-55 and Highway 6 corridor.

The City of Batesville received $302,613 as its share of sales tax collected for June within the municipality. Municipalities receive approximately 18 percent of the seven cent sale tax collected. Last year Batesville received $325,507 as their part of June sales tax.

Other Panola municipalities received payments in the following amounts for their share of sales tax collections (with the percentage of increase from the previous June noted): Como, $16,390, 0; Courtland, $804, -52; Crenshaw, $4,188, -7; Crowder, $1,604, -2; Pope, $1,662, -34 and Sardis, $27,238, +10.

Other municipalities nearby received their share of sales tax (with percentage of increase or decrease  noted) as follows: Charleston, $42,629, +58; Clarksdale, $228,344, -7; Grenada, $318,363, -1; Lambert, $2,917, -3; Marks, $21,317; Oakland, $3,656., +1; Oxford, $438,145, -5; Senatobia, $143,335, -11; Sledge, $1,234, -16; Water Valley, $39,658, -12.