Stoddard County sales tax revenue down in November

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Sales tax revenue in Stoddard County was down significantly this November compared to last year.

The Stoddard County Commission discussed the drop in sales tax revenue for November at its regular meeting Tuesday. Sales tax revenue for November was down $89,245.52 compared to a year ago. The steep drop for the month still left the county with more revenue from sales taxes this year than in 2010. The county has received $34,935.12 more in 2011 than in 2010 from two half-cent sales taxes.

Commissioner Frank Sifford said he was concerned about the sales tax money received in November. He said he instructed County Clerk Joe Watson to contact the city of Dexter, Mo., to see if its revenue also dropped. He said Watson reported that Dexter also saw a substantial drop in sales tax revenue. Sifford said commissioners were concerned that there was a bookkeeping problem at the Missouri Department of Revenue. He said the November sales tax receipts were cut off Nov. 22, which made for a short month.

Sifford said the commission could not be certain what the final amount in sales tax revenue would be, but the drop in November receipts would put the county pretty even with the total from last year. He noted that the December receipts would not be received until January and would be added to the 2012 revenue.

Stoddard County has received $2,451,137.40 in 2011 compared to $2,416,202.30 in 2010. The county received $164,442.16 for November this year compared to $253,687.68 last year.

There was some general discussion about what would have caused the shortfall, but no answers were given. Sifford wondered whether some of the bigger county businesses filed after the Nov. 22 cut-off.

Pertinent address:

Bloomfield, MO

Dexter, MO