By Rupert Howell
Sales tax collections received by the City of Batesville as their share of the seven cent tax increased two percent over the same month last year, taxes that were collected in October, for a total of $328,001 which represents approximately one-fifth of the total collected within the city’s limits.

That number compares lower than Mississippi’s statewide increase amounting to four percent. So far this calendar year Batesville has received $1,677,845 in sales tax disbursements, also a two percent increase compared to last year’s statewide year-to-date figures.

For that same October period the three percent tax on restaurants and lodging increased by 15 percent totaling $104.344.

That tax is used for capital improvements and payment of bonds financing the Batesville Civic Center. Since July that tax has brought to Batesville a total of $402,185, almost 10 percent above the same period in 2013.

Other Panola municipalities received the following amounts with the percentage of increase or decrease from corresponding months and year-to-date as follows: Como, $12,153, -2, -11; Courtland, $1,400,  +18,+22; Crenshaw, $3,920, -18, +1; Crowder, $2,180, +57, +24; Pope, $2,621, +12, -2 and Sardis, $25,162, +5, +3.

Other nearby municipalities received the following with percentage of monthly increase or decrease following as: Charleston, $29,627, +10; Clarksdale, $235,696, +10; Grenada, $356,605, +11; Lambert, $1,844, -28; Marks, $19,268, +1; Oakland, $6,135, +23; Oxford, $758,415, +8; Senatobia, $189,395, +14; Sledge, $1,908, unchanged and Water Valley, $42,800, +4.

The City of Sardis received $7,916 from their tourism tax, a three percent decrease from the same period last year.