The city of Brookhaven brought in $504,763.37 in sales tax for the month of May.

Up approximately $13,500 from April, the amount is below 2019’s May receipts of $507,176.92. The year-to-date total of $5.29 million is higher, however, than the comparative 2019 marker of $5.27 million.

While the closure of many businesses in the wake of COVID-19 precautions may have temporarily affected monthly sales tax figures, the year-to-date total remains above 2019.

Statewide, city diversions — including $14,786.45 from state universities and community colleges — totaled $34,794,775.38, down $3 million from the previous month and from April 2019.

Cleveland and McComb are the two municipalities in Mississippi closest in residential population to that of the Home Seekers Paradise — slightly less and slightly more, respectively. May receipts for Cleveland were $322,853.10, down approximately $23,000 from April. The city’s year-to-date total was $3.6 million, up almost $150,000 million from 2019.

McComb’s May receipts were $438,522.26, down $39,000 from April. The city’s year-to-date was $5.05 million, down $120,000 from 2019’s number.

Across the Magnolia State, 33 cities have larger populations than Brookhaven. Of these, 15 brought in lower tax receipts than Brookhaven for March. These were Brandon, Canton, Clarksdale, Clinton, Gautier, Greenville, Greenwood, Grenada, Hernando, Long Beach, McComb, Moss Point, Natchez, Ocean Springs and Pascagoula.

The capital city of Jackson, with the state’s largest population, received $2.011 million in tax receipts for May, down $115,000 from April. The municipality’s year-to-date of $24.64 million was down $1.1 million from one year ago.

Four other cities brought in sales tax receipts of more than $1 million for April — Gulfport, Hattiesburg, Southaven and Tupelo.

Thirty-six towns or cities brought in tax receipts of less than $1,000 for April. Four brought in less than $100 — Falcon, $73.69; Gattman, $87.10; Paulding, $31.97; and Satartia, $87.63. Satartia also has the state’s lowest population, at nine people.

Sales tax data is provided by the Mississippi Department of Revenue. Sales tax has a three month cycle. In Month 1, tax is collected by the retailer. In Month 2, tax is reported and paid to the Department of Revenue by the retailer. In Month 3, sales tax income (“diversion”) is paid by the DMDOR to cities. This report is based on the month the tax is collected at the MDOR (Month 2).