Brookhaven welcomed a new year with one of its best sales taxcollection months ever, according to totals from the MississippiTax Commission.

With $501,797.46 for this January, Brookhaven’s total was about$14,000 above the $487,673.36 collected for January 2007. Thisyear’s total placed the city 21st among the state’s topcollectors.

“I’m glad it was over $500,000. I wish they all were,” said CityClerk Mike Jinks of the January collections, which representedsales made during December.

Jinks recalled one other January after Katrina when the citytopped the half a million dollar mark. In January 2006, the citytook in over $516,000.

This difference, though, is that Brookhaven has since gonethrough an annexation.

“It’s hard to make a comparison after Katrina with the old citylimits and now with the enlarged city,” Jinks said.

Among the state’s top 25 collectors, Brookhaven was one of onlysix to post increases this year over the same period last year.

For the year to date, Brookhaven is more than $250,000 ahead ofits 2007 pace.

The city has collected $3,055,052.98 in 2008 compared to$2,752,650.92 in 2007. That represents about a 10 percent increasein yearly collections.

Jinks said city officials always budget conservatively whenestimating anticipated revenue. This year, the city is anticipatinggetting $425,000 a month from sales tax.

The latest total put the city is good shape.

“It’s safe to say we’re meeting our budget,” said Jinks, who washopeful for continued good collections during the rest of theyear.