Woodkirk Stone
Van Buren, the second-largest city in the Fort Smith metropolitan area, saw an almost 8% increase in sales tax revenue. To date, sales tax revenue from the 1.5% municipal sales tax is $ 5.007 million, which is 7.9% more than the $ 4.638 million reported in the same period. from 2020.
Of the municipal sales tax, half a cent goes to police, firefighters, parks and economic development. This tax was approved in 2012, according to Van Buren Mayor Joe Hurst. The other cent goes to the general city fund.
The city’s share of Crawford County’s 1.25% sales tax so far this year has brought in $ 2.234 million for the city, said Teresa Tankersly of the city’s clerk / treasurer’s office. Of that amount, half a cent goes to police, firefighters, parks and economic development. This is 13.2% more than the $ 1.974 million raised during the same period in 2020.
Crawford County sales tax rose from 1.75% to 1.25% in July, according to the Sales Tax Handbook website.
“I am grateful that the number of sales taxes continues to increase at Van Buren. Our economy depends on community support for local businesses, and the numbers tell us we’re headed in the right direction, â€said Hurst.
The city has recently started collecting sales tax revenue online, he said, noting that he believes this partly explains the sales tax increases it has seen.
“I hope this is the case because we should be able to maintain these numbers in the future. Sales tax money is essential for municipal government because it is the primary source of revenue that funds essential public services, â€said Hurst.
In the first eight months of the year, the city of Fort Smith collected $ 13.8 million from its share of Sebastian County sales tax, a 15.02% increase from the $ 11.998 million. collected through August 2020. Fort Smith’s 1% street tax – used for maintenance and new construction on streets, bridges and drainage – generated $ 2.23 million in August, an increase by 11.55% from the $ 2 million in August 2020.