Sales tax dollars remain up for City of Guthrie

Sales tax dollars for the City of Guthrie saw its second increase in two months with the latest numbers from the Oklahoma Tax Commission.

The City collected $524,567.39 in sales tax collections for November 2019. The numbers show a .41 percent increase compared to last year’s $522,446.26. In 2017, the November collection came in at $548,041.69 for the City.

Two months into the new fiscal year, the collection is up .68 percent ($7,333.24), accumulatively, as compared to 2019.

In addition, the City brought in $51,417.33 in use tax this month for an increase of 45.8 percent ($16,151.09) compared to last November.

The use tax dollars are collected from online shopping, including Amazon.com and by third-party vendors selling through Amazon, which began July 1, 2018.

Use tax is sales tax levied on products purchased elsewhere and shipped into Oklahoma. Use tax also is due on major purchases, such as when a farmer orders a tractor from a national dealer in another state and has it shipped into Oklahoma.

“Positive start to the new year,” City Manager Leroy Alsup said.

The City began the fiscal year with a fund balance of $1.4 million for the fiscal year compared to $1.2 million in 2019. The fund balance in 2016-17 was only $374,863.