HARLINGEN — Sales tax allocations for the first month of the year jumped significantly for Valley cities over the previous month, mirroring a strong report at the state level.
Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced this week he was sending cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts $783.2 million in local sales tax allocations, 2.6 percent more than in January 2020.
The allocations are based on sales made in November by businesses that report tax monthly.
While Harlingen saw a robust increase of 7.73 percent year-over-year, it was at the bottom for the bigger cities in Cameron County, all of which saw double-digit increases over the previous year.
La Feria led the way, up 34.28 percent over the previous January, followed by South Padre Island (up 32.53 percent), Los Fresnos (up 26.24 percent), Rio Hondo (up 16.07 percent), Brownsville (up 15.68 percent) Post Isabel (up 14.21 percent) and San Benito (up 10.58 percent).
In Willacy County, Raymondville was up 17.91 percent and Lyford was up 5.22 percent.
In Hidalgo County, the numbers were not as strong as Cameron, but several of the larger cities posted double-digit increases over the previous year.
Weslaco was up 12.98 percent, followed by Mission (up 12.61 percent), Pharr (up 10.16 percent) and Edinburg (up 9.30 percent.)
McAllen was nearly flat, up 0.04 percent, and Mercedes saw a decline of 23.89 percent for the month compared to a year ago.
Sales tax revenue City Nov. 2020
HARLINGEN Up 7.73 percent
SAN BENITO Up 10.58 percent
LA FERIA Up 34.28 percent
RIO HONDO Up 16.07 percent
PORT ISABEL Up 14.21 percent
S. PADRE ISL. Up 32.53 percent
BROWNSVILLE Up 15.68 percent
LOS FRESNOS Up 26.24 percent
RAYMONDVILLE Up 17.91 percent
LYFORD Up 5.22 percent
McALLEN Up 0.04 percent
EDINBURG Up 9.30 percent
PHARR Up 10.16 percent
MISSION Up 12.61 percent
MERCEDES Down 23.89 percent
WESLACO Up 12.98 percent
Source: Texas Comptroller’s Office. Allocations based on sales made in November by businesses that report tax monthly. Since it is the first month of the year, the monthly percent is also the annual percent.
