Cape County sales tax revenue down slightly from last year; quirky 2017 payment slightly skewed results

Sales tax revenue is slightly down for the year in Cape Girardeau County, while use tax revenue is up for the year, Treasurer Roger Hudson said.

For the year, according to data provided by Hudson, sales tax revenue is down 0.11 percent, or about $8,400 overall.

At Monday�s regular county commission meeting, Hudson said sales tax revenue could be down because of fewer automobiles sold.

But, he said by phone Monday, �We�ve had a fairly good year.�

The county�s sales tax revenue numbers are skewed because of an extra payment received by the state Department of Revenue in December 2017, Hudson said, which artificially inflated that total.

That means sales tax revenue for 2018 looks lower than it actually is, Hudson said.

As of November 2018, sales tax revenue was up by about 3 percent, he said.

Hudson said if it hadn�t been for the December 2017 payment, sales tax revenue would be up for 2018 by about 4 percent.

As for use tax revenue, it�s down by about 9 percent for December 2018 compared to December 2017, but for the year, is up by nearly 26 percent, $254,000, over 2017.

Use tax is collected on items bought elsewhere and shipped into the state � online purchases are one example, as would be some building materials or heavy equipment.

Cape Girardeau County�s use tax was approved by voters in April 2015. It�s a 1 percent use tax, intended to fund construction of a new courthouse and other future capital improvements.

The county�s $18 million Justice Center project is now under construction, with bonds financed using funds from the use-tax revenue.

In 2016, the use tax generated $928,000, and 2018�s total is almost $1.15 million.

Proposition 1 revenue was mostly flat in 2018. Year to date, revenue is down 0.09 percent over this time last year, totaling slightly more than $7.3 million.

December�s Proposition 1 revenue saw a steep drop from December 2017, nearly 25 percent, but that coincides with sales tax revenue for the county�s totals.

Proposition 1 is a sales-tax measure approved by voters in August 2006, and funds help pay for new bridges, boost sheriff�s department salaries and pave county roads.

Funds also go toward the special road district.

Since the tax was first collected, it has earned more than $79.5 million, according to county records.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630