By Rupert Howell

Sales tax collected during the month of September in the City of Batesville appear relatively stagnant compared to last September with $312,983 received for this September and $314,238 received for September 2010, a decrease of less than one percent.

Statewide figures indicate a two percent increase for the same period.

The amount received represents approximately 18 percent of the total seven percent tax collected from sales within the city’s limits by businesses. That money is turned over to the Mississippi Department of Revenue who disburses the municipalities’ share the following month.

The September disbursement, paid to the city in October, was three percent above the amount the city received for September’s disbursement.

The three percent Tourism and Development Tax paid by lodging establishments and restaurants also showed stagnation, but that report represents the month of October. The city received $80,111 which is a decrease of less than one percent from last October. Another downside of that figures is it usually is an indication of the following month’s sales tax trend.

The city of Sardis showed a seven percent decrease in sales tax revenue for September compared to September 2010 receiving a disbursement of $25.787.

That city’s tax on lodging and restaurants also showed a nine percent decrease over October 2010 with Sardis receiving $7.883.

The town of Como also had a decrease in sales with figures indicating a 24 percent drop and a $12,705 disbursement. The Como restaurant and lodging tax collected $4,008 during October and is still in its first year.

Other Panola County municipalities received disbursements as follow with the percentage of increase or decrease included: Courtland, $1,492, 22; Crenshaw, $4,900, unchanged; Crowder, $2,013, 31 and Pope, $3,777, 9.

Other nearby municipalities received the following disbursements and percentage of change from last September as: Charleston, $27,719, 3; Clarksdale, $224,783, 4; Grenada, $322,690, 7;  Lambert, $2,901, 2; Marks, $21,301, 3; Oakland, $6,071, -2; Oxford, $600,121, 14; Senatobia, $141,583, -4; Sledge, $1,874, -2 and Water Valley, $41,205, 6.