COUNTY SALES TAX UNCHANGED

JACKSON - Cape Girardeau County's sales tax check for April was about the same as it was the year before; however, overall receipts are ahead of 1991.

One third of the new year's sales tax checks have been received.

Auditor H. Weldon Macke reported that sales tax receipts in April totaled $251,966.16, which is about $300 less than April of last year.

After four months, the county has taken in $1,073,066.81, which is 4.27 percent ahead of the same point last year.

Macke said he is encouraged by the fact that receipts so far are running 2.28 percent ahead of this time in 1990, when overall receipts were up 4.46 percent from 1989.

The increase this year in dollars amounts to $43,994.66 over the same time in 1991.

"We certainly hope this holds up, but it's hard to know at this point," said Macke. "We have a lot of the year to go, and I'm not sure the economy has completely turned around yet."

Last year the sales tax revenues were less than 1 percent ahead of the previous year, which was the smallest increase the county has had since implementing the sales tax in 1981.

Macke and Presiding Commissioner Gene Huckstep believe the best measure will come in June when Cape County reaches the halfway point in collections.

"Generally, the first six checks give us a clear indication of what is likely to happen for the year," said Macke.

The impact of the new Super Wal Mart store in Cape Girardeau will become evident in the May and June checks.

One of the reasons for the county's sales tax growth over the years has been the opening of new retail stores, which have enhanced Cape County's role as a regional trade center.

Wal Mart should provide a boost to overall sales in the county this year, Macke said; however, it is unclear how much of the sales at Wal Mart will be in the form of new business and how much will be taken away from existing stores in the county.

"It's just too early to tell what the overall impact of Wal Mart will be on us," Macke said. "But overall for the year, unless Wal Mart holds us up, I don't expect too much growth."

Sales tax revenue provides all of the tax money used to fund the county's general revenue budget.

Annual sales tax receipts the last two years have been just over $3 million.