City, county tax coffers take double-digit hits

City, county tax coffers take double-digit hits

By Ken Childers

ONL Editor

February sales tax collections were distributed to city and county governments across Oklahoma last week, and the amount deposited into the City of Okemah’s coffers was down nearly 35 percent from this time last year.

According to the Oklahoma Tax Commission (OTC), the city received a disbursement of $90,344.08, down 34.9 percent as compared to one year ago when the amount was $121,836.40. The city also received a use tax disbursement of $12,098.33, up 36 percent over last year’s amount of $7,723.66. Use tax is collected when goods are purchased outside of Oklahoma, online or otherwise, then used inside the state.

Okfuskee County also realized a double-digit decline in sales tax revenue with a disbursement of $117,705.60. In April 2019, the amount was $143,397.51, a difference of 22 percent. The county’s use tax disbursement of $21,495.15 was up 26 percent over last year’s amount of $15,997.89.

Use tax distributions were also made last week to the towns of Boley and Weleetka in the amounts of $974.47 and $2,776.63, respectively. The amount received by Boley was up 48 percent over April 2019 and Weleetka’s disbursement was up 22 percent over the previous year.

Sales tax collections around the county

Boley saw a 10 percent decrease as compared to April 2019 with a disbursement of $5,590.01; Castle’s amount of $1,202.79 was up 10 percent over the previous year; Clearview received $258.68; Paden realized a two percent decrease with a disbursement of $11,014.92 and Weleetka received $22,136.75, up 18 percent over this time last year.

Collections for other nearby cities and towns

Bristow: $288,655.07 (-5 percent)

Henryetta: $257,260.03 (+10 percent)

Okmulgee: $501,134.39 (+4 percent)

Prague: $80,642.92 (+4 percent)

Wetumka: $37,248.10 (-21 percent)

The April distribution of sales tax collections by the Oklahoma Tax Commission primarily represents local tax receipts from February business. Companies that remit more than $2,500 monthly in sales tax receipts are required to file and pay electronically. The monies they reported this period represent sales from Feb. 16 – 29 and estimated sales from March 1 – March 15.