After starting the new fiscal year on a sluggish note,Brookhaven sales tax collections saw a September recovery as thisyear’s totals surpassed those from the same time last year.

“This month we rebounded from previous months and had a 5percent increase,” said Chandler Russ, Brookhaven-Lincoln CountyChamber of Commerce executive vice-president.

For September, the city’s share of sales tax collection totaled$332,129.18, which was up almost $15,000 from September 2000’s$317,867.23.

The city’s total for the new fiscal year, which started in July,had been running behind the total from the same time last year.Russ said the city had been seeing flat growth patterns during thattime.

“The year to date totals are a reflection of what’s happeningwith the state and nationally,” Russ said.

However, the September collections pushed the city back ahead oflast year’s pace, $966,944.10 this year compared to $958,686.66 in2000. He attributed part of the rebound to healthy automobilesales.

“With all the incentives coming out of corporate headquarters,they had a strong September,” Russ said. “I think you’ll see thattrend in the months ahead as they roll out some great financingopportunities.”

September’s total put Brookhaven at No. 20 in statewide citysales tax rankings. He said university cities like Starkville andOxford benefit from football games in those communities.

“The next three months are big push months for them,” Russsaid.

Russ said he was real pleased with Brookhaven’s totals forSeptember.

“I hope we can continue to see 5 percent increases, which wouldbe more in line with where we like it: steady and above stateaverage growth instead of being consistent with the state average,”Russ said.

In other parts of southwest Mississippi, McComb collectionsclimbed to $372,805.59 in September sales tax. The September 2001total, which placed the city 16th in the state, represented anincrease of almost $20,00 from the September 2000 total of$354,124.48.

In year-to-date totals, McComb had $1,063,760.66 in 2001 and$1,037,481.12 in 2000.

Also in Pike County, Summit businesses gathered $21,913.57 inSeptember sales tax, an increase from last September’s $19,287.17.For the years-to-date, the town’s 2001 total was $62,692.98, over$4,000 above 2000’s $58,281.76.

In Lawrence County, Monticello merchants took in $31,128.21 forthe city’s share of September 2001 sales tax, almost the same asSeptember 2000’s $31,361.11. The city’s 2001 year-to-date totalcontinued to be off its 2000 pace: $89,741.91 this year and$93,366.11 last year.

Wesson businesses’ September sales tax collections were up to$9,961.24, compared to $9,610.64 last September. Its year-to-datetotal was running a little ahead of its 2000 pace with $29,900.60this year and $28,118.30 last year.

To the west in Franklin County, Bude businesses rang up$8,973.10 for the town, a healthy increase over September 2000’s$7,392.51. For 2001, its yearly total was $25,865.08 and $23,412.32in 2000.

Meadville merchants took in $7,768.76 in September 2001, adecrease from September 2000 with $9,086.81. Yearly totals show thetown with $23,114.21 in 2001 collections and $27,124.23 in 2000collections.