Sales Tax Revenue Update

The state-wide sales tax figures for September show a six-point-one percent decline from the same period last year. The biggest declines were in the oil and gas sector. There was an increase from last year in sales taxes collected from retail sales, but state officials say that’s because out-of-state on-line retailers are now required to collect sales taxes on transactions with customers in Texas. Sales tax receipts from big-box stores were up, while collections at shopping malls and department stores were down.