Brookhaven officials continue to express excitement over thefact that the city continues to lead the area in the sales taxnumbers since last year’s annexation.

With this August’s $466,360.17 sales tax check in the bank,Brookhaven was about $47,000 ahead of August 2007 numbers – whenthe total was $409,512.42 – and close to $107,000 ahead of lastyear’s year-to-date numbers.

For the first two months of state fiscal year 2009, Brookhavenhas received around $917,508.20, as opposed to $810,925.49 at thesame point last year. That represents an increase of about 13percent.

Brookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce Executive VicePresident Cliff Brumfield said the fact that Brookhaven has movedahead of other area cities is a positive indicator for thefuture.

“Once again our sales tax returns show the strength of theBrookhaven retail market and our potential of becoming an evengreater retail powerhouse in south Mississippi,” he said.

Brumfield said part of the growth the city is showingfinancially is tied to its physical growth. The annexation, whichtook effect last summer, tripled the city’s size.

“The annexation has been a definite plus in luring and catchingthe attention of businesses to our area,” he said. “When we hit the10,000 mark, we earned a place on the radar of a lot of importantbusinesses and industries.”

City Clerk Mike Jinks said every month that the sales tax showsimprovement is a good one for Brookhaven.

“We’re ahead of where we were and we’re all excited about that,”he said.

Brumfield said consumers in Lincoln County should remember thatevery dollar they spend in Brookhaven goes to help the city becomebigger and better. This is not only important for the city, butalso for its residents and business owners.

“These numbers come at a time when many retailers are strugglingeven more so than in the previous months in 2008,” he said. “Pleaseremember it’s important now more than ever to shop locally, aswe’ve seen a small number of retailers have to shut their doors,and these are trying times for the business owners of ourcommunity. These are your neighbors and families who havethemselves been there to support the community as well.”