Slow February drops sales tax receipts

    February sales tax receipts for the city of Imperial were the lowest in a four-year period.
    The first quarter sales tax report for the months of January, February and March totaled $123,509.10, down from other quarters in recent years, largely affected by the February total of $31,503.06.
    Not since February 2019 was the monthly total lower.
    A look at the chart shows February is generally a lower month for sales. It follows the after-Christmas sales rush, and this year, was marked by colder temperatures and snow.
    The other two months of the first quarter showed average totals.
    March with $48,063.35 coming into Imperial was the highest month of the three, thanks to more than $10,000 from sales tax paid on motor vehicles.
    When the city receives its monthly receipts, the sales tax on vehicles is separated and placed in the street department by law.
    The rest is split 50/50 between the economic development and community development funds. The Imperial city council has final say for earmarking funds from both those accounts.
    The city’s 1% sales tax is added to the state’s 5.5% for a total of 6.5% on eligible purchases.

Sales tax receipts since 2017

January-17    34,950.23
February-17    25,156.88
March-17    36,098.67
April-17    30,991.04
May-17    21,517.59
June-17    35,730.80
July-17    33,665.22
August-17    33,317.93
September-17    37,243.69
October-17    33,621.40
November-17    33,673.24
December-17    45,413.32
January-18    38.200.05
February-18    33,876.97
March-18    32,860.02
April-18    30,953.21
May-18    37,093.07
June-18    36,160.18
July-18    30,794.02
August-18    37,934.95
September-18    34,899.37
October-18    34,239.22
November-18    33,644.37
December-18    35,414.71
January-19    31,774.21
February-19    27,047.44
March-19    36,760.20
April-19    42,644.34
May-19    44,157.72
June-19    36,990.85
July-19    40,051.37
August-19    40,995.23
September-19    37,575.94
October-19    51,467.27
November-19    41,308.33
December-19    42,901.34
January-20    40,345.96
February-20    42,667.79
March-20    44,342.65
April-20    38,954.31
May-20    46,616.76
June-20    50,782.32
July-20    47,306.33
August-20    46,841.74
September-20    44,904.39
October-20    38,623.39
November-20    42,979.16
December-20    44,968.62
January-21    40,009.66
February-21    40,091.37
March-21    47,217.79
April-21    50,568.40
May-21    40,531.74
June-21    49,921.65
July-21    49,642.09
August-21    51,660.08
September-21    42,927.75
October-21    48,997.91
November-21    38,265.09
December-21    48,092.67
January-22    42,069.38
February-22    40,000.34
March-22    36,431.74
April-22    35,570.62
May-22    44,424.20
June-22    49,648.35
July-22    54,047.91
*August-22    54,581.45
September-22    51,937.19
October-22    54,517.11
November-22    43,847.75
December-22    49,339.17
January-23    43,942.69
February-23    31,503.06
March-23    48,063.35

* Highest month of sales tax receipts