By Rupert Howell

October retail sales in Batesville leaned in a positive direction according to the city’s share of sales tax reimbursed by the state for that month, but already released  figures for November’s tourism tax, a three percent tax on food and lodging, indicate a decline may follow with November figures.

While sales tax disbursements are held by the state for an additional month, special taxes such as tourism taxes are reported earlier and general indicate whether sales have been up or down.
Batesville received $315,590 for their share of October’s sales tax collected which represents 18.5 percent of the total seven percent tax collected which represents a six percent increase over October of 2011.

Batesville’s tourism tax for November was down nine percent with the city receiving $85,292. Since the fiscal year began in July the city has received $437,240 from the tourism tax, a four percent decrease from the previous year’s collection.

Other Panola County municipalities received the following disbursements with the percentage of increase and decrease as their share of October’s sales tax collections as: Como, $13,740, +1; Courtland, $1,751, +14; Crenshaw, $5,045, -14; Crowder, $1,669, -15; Pope, $3,759, +12; Sardis, $23,936, -11.

Tourism tax collections for November increased in Sardis for November compared to last year and decreased slightly in Como.

Sardis received $7,704, up four percent over November 2011 and Como received $3,735, a one percent decrease for the same period.

Other nearby municipalities received the following amounts as their portion of the seven percent sales tax with percentage of increase or decrease from October 2011 as: Charleston, $29,017, +4; Clarksdale, $239, 125, +3; Grenada, $318,191, unchanged; Lambert, $2,764, -2; Marks, $19,847, -2; Oakland, $5,624, -1; Oxford, $611,477, +5; Senatobia, $150,936, +2; Sledge, $1,630,-5; Taylor, $2,351, -14; and Water Valley, $39,949, +2.

Statewide disbursements to municipalities were up four percent with the state disbursing $32,052,355 for October sales.