Boomtown: San Angelo Outpaces Odessa, Abilene in Sales Tax Revenue

SAN ANGELO, TX — Sales tax revenue to the City of San Angelo is up $904,944 from where the City estimated it would be for this fiscal year back in September 2018 during budget meetings. San Angelo’s sales tax collections for April increased 5.82 percent while Odessa’s collections decreased 2.49 percent over April 2018, a year earlier. Abilene decreased 0.94 percent.

The City collects one percent of the 8.25 percent sales tax charged on most purchases in Tom Green County. An additional 0.5 percent of the sales tax goes to the City of San Angelo Development Corporation, or COSA-DC, to fund economic development projects.

City Finance Director Tina Dierschke presented how much extra money the City’s general revenue fund is receiving from just the one percent portion of the sale tax rate Tuesday.

When estimating how much revenue sales tax might bring the City of San Angelo during the budget sessions last year, Mayor Brenda Gunter led a council effort to increase the original estimate.  That gave the council latitude to spend more money this fiscal year. 

The State of Texas Comptroller deposits City’s portion of the state sales tax receipts from the previous month into the City’s general revenue fund each month. There are five more months left in FY 2019. Then, FY 2020 begins Oct. 1.

In April, San Angelo bested Odessa, and Abilene, and tied Wichita Falls. Retail sales, like autos and dry goods and electronics purchased at Walmart, led the increase. Only professional services, like CPAs, lagged April 2018’s numbers. 

Sales Tax Collections for April 2019:

• San Angelo – up 5.82%
• Odessa – down 2.49 %
• Abilene – down 0.94%
• Wichita Falls – up 0.01%
• Midland – up 14.57%

Reflecting on how well San Angelo continues to perform in relation to Odessa, Abilene, and Wichita Falls, Mayor Brenda Gunter said, “There are some dynamics changing.”

She promised the City is spending the excess on street infrastructure improvements.