Sales tax grew by $1 million for Orleans in 2017
Sales tax revenues jumped by $1 million for Orleans County in 2017, up 6.45 percent from $15,287,529 to $16,273,192.
Statewide the year-over-year sales tax collection growth was up 3.9 percent, the biggest growth in the state since 2013, according to State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli.
“This is welcome news for municipalities, as local revenues have been under significant pressure in recent years,” DiNapoli said. “As 2018 unfolds, local officials would be well advised to be cautious with respect to local budgets. As we know, collections are dependent on consumer spending, and the impact of new federal tax changes on this spending is the great unknown in this equation.”
The 57 counties outside New York City all experienced increases, except for Putnam County, but that was more due to a technical glitch adjustment, DiNapoli said.
The four GLOW counties all had sizable increases. Besides the additional $1 million and 6.45 percent for Orleans, Genesee up 4.44 percent from $37,040,250 to $38,683,226; Livingston, up 5.68 percent (from $30,167,806 to $31,880,449); and Wyoming, a big jump of 9.39 percent from $16,695,292 to $18,262,292.
DiNapoli said there was big growth statewide in the fourth quarter, mainly due to a significant upswing in retail sales during the holiday season.
He also said motor fuel prices have a directly measureable effect on local sales tax collections. In 2017, tax collections from the sale of motor fuel increased statewide for the first time since 2012.
In Orleans County, more than 90 percent of the local sales tax stays with the county government. The county shares $1,366,671 with the 10 towns and four villages. They have been frozen at that level since 2001.
