Sales tax distributions to the bi-county area historically have an off-month every quarter, or two, as a correction of sorts — October generated more of a downtown than had been seen all year.
Except for Seligman, every Barry County recipient saw less than a year ago. Municipal receipts were down by 22 percent.
Cassville saw receipts from its 1 percent sales tax supporting its general fund drop for the first time since February. The tax brought in $11,591.23, down $38,510.55,, or 26, percent from last October. For 2024, adding Cassville’s four sales taxes and its use tax together, the city’s tax revenues are up by almost $180,000, or 6.5 percent.
Monett, the biggest sales tax generator in the bi-county area, saw its two sales taxes at 1 percent generate $176,585.13, a drop of $46,701.37, or 21 percent, from last October. It was the fourth drop in six months for Monett’s tax collections, down more than $111,500 from a year ago.
On the other hand, Monett’s use tax, which seems to be drawing money from regular tax collections, has received almost $708,000 over 10 months, nearly $500,000 more than the first five months of collections in 2023. With all its tax collections combined, Monett’s receipts for 2024 show a gain of nearly $238,000, or 5 percent, over 2023.
Seligman’s 1 percent sales tax paying general bills produced $11,889.87, a gain of $2,531.60 for
the month, the third gain in five months. So far in 2024, Seligman’s four sales taxes and its use tax
have brought in nearly $28,000, or 9 percent, more than a year ago
Washburn held nearly even with last year. Its 1 percent general fund tax yielded $2,682.34, down
$63.46 from a year ago. While Washburn’s general fund collections are up nearly $2,700 for the year,
the city’s use tax, now in its 14th month, has added nearly $29,000 to city offers, boosting revenues
for the year by 20 percent
Purdy’s 1 percent sales tax received $4,134.54 in October, down $2,117.81 from a year ago, the third
drop in four months. That put the 2024 total for Purdy’s three taxes ahead of last year by more than
$2,600.
Wheaton, where the half-cent sales tax for transportation produced 46 percent of what the 1 percent tax did in October, a generally typical trend, the 1 percent general fund tax generated $5,096.17. That was down $864.70 from a year ago. Wheaton’s two sales taxes, plus the use tax that kicked in during 2024, set
receipts for the calendar year ahead of last year by almost $350.
Exeter saw receipts from its 1 percent general fund tax drop for only the second time in seven months, bringing in $2,206.34, down $499.25 from a year ago. That put receipts for 2024 ahead of last year by $7,110, or 32 percent.
Countywide tax collections dropped, but not enough to erase gains from the September distribution. Barry County’s two sales taxes supporting its general fund combined for a total of $279,882.83, down $18,547.84, or 9 percent, from a year ago. Barry County’s four sales taxes and its use tax, which has been very productive in 2024, combined have grown by more than $647,000, or 7.5 percent, from a year ago.
The separate .375 percent tax going to the Barry County Emergency Services Board to pay for central dispatching and 911 services received $167,930.13 in October, down $11,113.49 from last October. Receipts
for the year are still running $21,730, or 1 percent ahead of 2023.
