COUNTY SALES TAX RECEIPTS UP THIS YEAR

JACKSON - Cape Girardeau County's sales tax receipts are running 7.75 percent ahead of last year after the county received its second highest monthly check ever this month.

The September receipts from the county's half-cent sales tax totaled $456,583.53, which is only slightly less than the record monthly check of $469,823 last March.

In September 1992, the sales tax check was $413,469.89 and in 1991, it was $412,257.43.

"We're certainly pleased with the increases that we have seen this year and just hope it keeps up," said Presiding Commissioner Gene Huckstep.

For the first nine months of 1993, sales tax revenues are running $186,951 ahead of the same period last year. Total receipts this year are $2,600,957.71, compared with $2,414,006.42 at this point in 1992, and $2,310,971.06 for this time in 1991.

In 1992, total sales tax receipts were $3,223,762.86, representing a 5.08 percent increase over the previous year.

Huckstep said he is unsure what has caused the big growth this year, but points out things can change quickly. He recalled that in 1991, Cape County's sales tax growth was about a quarter percent over the previous year.

"I don't rightly know what to attribute this to, except maybe an upswing in retail sales here," said Huckstep. "A part of it may be due to Wal-Mart operations, but I just can't say for sure."

Another factor could be increased sales of large ticket items like vehicles, however Huckstep said he is unsure whether those sales are up substantially in Cape County.

At some point, the presiding commissioner said, he wanted to study what had been collected from various businesses to see whether there are any particular trends this year.

But while growth has been good so far, Huckstep warned that the county has not yet received a sales tax check that would cover the period of severe flooding that hit the county this summer.

"We have not felt the effects of this flood by any means yet, if indeed it will have an effect on sales," said Huckstep. "It it does, that should show up on the next two monthly checks."

In preparing the 1993 county budget, the commission did not budget for any sales tax growth, Huckstep said. But he added that increased costs of workers compensation and other costs that keep climbing in the county may cut hard into the increased revenue.

Some of that money may also be used to supplement the county road and bridge budget, which will have expenses exceeding the revenue from the property tax levy and other sources.