October’s sales tax revenue shows Brookhaven maintainingstrong numbers, but city leaders hope for continued growth.

 

    The Mississippi Department of Revenue’s November sales tax report,showing money collected in October, indicates Brookhaven received$405,960.49. That is an increase from October 2010’s total of$400,856.55.

    Mayor Les Bumgarner said he is encouraged by the increase, buthopes to see the city soon return to the stronger totals ofprevious years.

    “We’re almost back up to where we were before we expanded,”Bumgarner said. “Even though we’ve expanded the city limits we’restill not up to that level.”

    Brookhaven’s total sales tax revenue since July 1 stands at$2,078,088.19, a total that shows some growth over October 2010’sJuly 1-to-date total of $2,056,952.94.

    Bumgarner is glad to see an increase over last year, but is hopingfor upward numbers to continue.

    A local economic leader echoed Bumgarner.

    “Those totals are not as high as we’d love to see them but it stillshows improvement,” said chamber of commerce Executive VicePresident Cliff Brumfield.

    Brumfield looks for the end of the year totals to increase.

    “We know November’s numbers should fare well,” Brumfield said.”We’ll see those numbers reflecting the increased shopping of theholiday season.”

    Late in November and in early December shopping levels increase dueto the Christmas holiday season, Brumfield said. Sales tax totalsshould reflect these elevated shopping levels.

    Brumfield warned revenue totals will drop in January.

    Despite the mild increase Brookhaven saw, some towns in theimmediate vicinity of Lincoln County saw decreases over last year’stotals. Wesson’s revenue totals dropped about $2,000 andMonticello’s dropped about $1,000.

    Regional cities saw increased revenue, though. McComb’s revenue wasa little under Brookhaven’s, with $395,865.86 in collected taxes,an increase over the city’s October 2010 revenue of$386,636.04.

    Natchez came out higher than Brookhaven and McComb, at $420,933.37.Natchez also saw an increase over last year, up from$414,185.12.

    Brookhaven compared favorably to similarly sized cities throughoutthe state. Madison collected $409,492.74. Clinton’s October revenuestood at $329,700.56.

    When told these numbers at the Dec. 20 city board meeting, Aldermanat Large Karen Sullivan was encouraged.

    “We used to always hang in there with Madison,” Sullivan said.

    Bumgarner said that of a list of 21 cities around the state,Brookhaven came in at ninth on the list this month.