State sales tax revenue for March totaled $3.37 billion, and after adjustment for consequences of Winter Storm Uri last year, showed an increase of 37.2 percent.
Most of the March sales tax revenue is based on sales made in February and remitted to the state in March.
“State sales tax collections reached a new high for the month of March, with exceptionally strong growth evident across all major economic sectors,” Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar said.
“Surging consumer spending as the omicron wave recedes — supported by strong employment and wage growth and savings accumulated during the pandemic — spurred double-digit growth in receipts from almost all retail segments,” he added. “Receipts from segments stimulated by pandemic spending patterns, including online general merchandisers and home improvement, furniture and sporting goods stores, continue to exhibit very strong growth, while receipts from clothing and accessories stores and electronics and appliance stores, segments depressed by the pandemic, continue to rebound.”
Total sales tax revenue for the three months ending in March 2022, after adjusting for March 2021 activity, was up 27.3 percent compared to the same period a year ago.
Here’s how the different sectors performed:
>> Motor vehicle sales and rental taxes — $386 million, down 17 percent from March 2021.
>> Motor fuel taxes — $276 million, up 19 percent from March 2021.
>> Oil production tax — $476 million, up 101 percent from March 2021.
>> Natural gas production tax — $348 million, up 150 percent from March 2021.
>> Hotel occupancy tax — $50 million, up 55 percent from March 2021.
>> Alcoholic beverage taxes — $123 million, up 27 percent from March 2021.
