SALES TAXES UP IN CAPE COUNTY; FIRST-QUARTER RECEIPTS A RECORD

The first quarter of 1998 saw a 13 percent increase over the first quarter of last year in Cape Girardeau County sales-tax revenue. It was the largest increase ever.

March boasted the highest sales-tax collections for a single month, continuing an upward trend in sales-tax revenue.

The county's one-half-cent sales tax took in $1.23 million in the first three months of 1998.

The first-quarter sales-tax numbers represent sales made in November, December and January.

"There were some pretty good sales sometime somewhere in the county," said H. Weldon Macke, county auditor.

The increase is good news, especially when compared to more modest increases for first quarters in the past two years, said Macke.

In the first quarter of 1997, the county saw a 3.12 percent increase over the previous first quarter. And the first quarter of 1996 saw a 5.91 increase over the first quarter of 1995.

March sales tax receipts traditionally are among the best each year. March 1998 receipts were $615,134, almost 9 percent above those of March 1997.

January receipts were 13 percent above those of January 1997. February receipts were about 9 percent above of those of February 1997.

The county funds the general revenue portion of its budget exclusively with sales-tax money. Macke said sales-tax increases are monitored throughout the year in preparation of the annual budget.

Although the first-quarter numbers look promising, Macke said it is too early to declare a banner year. "Usually after the second quarter we have a pretty good idea where we are headed," he said.

For 1997, Cape Girardeau County collected $4.4 million, in sales-tax revenue, an increase of 4.5 percent over 1996. In 1996, the county saw a sales-tax increase of just 1.98 percent over 1995. In 1996, the county collected $4,252,817.

The 1996 sales-tax collections were significant when compared to 1995 figures, because in 1995 the county experienced an increase of 9.2 percent, said Macke.

The county collected $4.1 million in sales taxes in 1995 and $3.8 million in 1994.

Sales-tax figures for Cape Girardeau County have been up between 4 and 10 percent each year since 1990. The only exception was 1991, when a recession resulted in an increase below 1 percent over the previous year.

Macke said sales-tax figures seem to be cyclical, and that trend seems to be going up.