Regional sales tax collections solid in 2008; Booneville sees 3-month dip

Regional sales tax collections remained strong throughout 2008, with countywide collections in Crawford, Franklin, Logan and Sebastian counties totaling $43.45 million, up 12.5% over 2007 collections.

Of the top 10 regional cities in term of tax collection amounts, only Mulberry posted a year-over-year decline (0.2%).

Alma posted the highest percentage gain (20.2%) in annual sales tax collections of the top cities, with Ozark (19.4%) a close second.

It’s possible Booneville is beginning to see the financial impact of losing in March 2008 the Cargill processing plant that employed more than 800. Most of the facility was destroyed by fire, and the company decided to not rebuild.

That city has seen three consecutive months of sales tax collection declines. The November figures were down 15.1%, December was down 3.7% and January was down 3.3%. However, the city collected $1.21 million in 2008, up 5.6% over 2007.

REGIONAL SALES TAX COLLECTIONS
Top 10 cities – sales tax collections in the region

Fort Smith
December 2008: $4,089,206
December 2007: $3,990,755
up 2.4%
collected $42.96 million in 2008, up 9.8% over 2007.

Van Buren (Van Buren’s sales tax rate dropped 1% in April 2008)
December 2008: $307,753
December 2007: $514,769
collected $4.64 million in 2008, down 17% over 2007.

Alma
December 2008: $217,306
December 2007: $192,573
up 12.8%
collected $2.44 million in 2008, up 20.2% over 2007.

Greenwood
December 2008: $173,897
December 2007: $168,337
up 3.3%
collected $1.95 million in 2008, up 13.8% over 2007.

Booneville
December 2008: $104,094
December 2007: $108,149
down 3.7%
collected $1.21 million in 2008, up 5.6% over 2007.

Ozark
December 2008: $79,343
December 2007: $67,283
up 17.9%
collected $910,389 in 2008, up 19.4% over 2007.

Mansfield
December 2008: $30,604
December 2007: $29,404
up 4%
collected $363,576 in 2008, up 10.9% over 2007.

Mulberry
December 2008: $26,134
December 2007: $30,821
down 15.2%
collected $324,556 in 2008, down 0.2% over 2007.

Paris
December 2008: $25,440
December 2007: $24,111
up 5.5%
collected $305,450 in 2008, up 12.9% over 2007.

Charleston
December 2008: $25,867
December 2007: $23,193
up 10.7%
collected $302,337 in 2008, up 13% over 2007.

Collections by Fort Smith regional counties

Sebastian County
December 2008: $2,891,525
December 2007: $2,816,665
up 2.6%
collected $31.02 million in 2008, up 10.3% over 2007.

Crawford County
December 2008: $558,864
December 2007: $576,913
down 3.1%
collected $6.95 million in 2008, up 11.3% over 2007.

Franklin County
December 2008: $237,031
December 2007: $199,154
up 19%
collected $2.85 million in 2008, up 23.3% over 2007.

Logan County
December 2008: $225,754
December 2007: $170,822
up 32.1%
collected $2.61 million in 2008, up 34.4% over 2007.