In Wellington, sales tax rates have had little effect on sales study says
by James Jordan, Sumner Newscow — Sales tax receipts have been fairly constant in Wellington over the past three years, but there are some wide fluctuations between individual months.
The current sales tax in Wellington is nine percent, but 6.5 of that goes to the state, and a half of one percent goes to the county. That leaves Wellington with two percent, and half of that now goes to support the hospital. Voters have approved various initiatives, and the sales tax went up twice.
The half-cent sales tax for the Cowley College Satellite Campus won’t go into effect until April 1, 2017. That sales tax will pass through the County Treasurer for disbursement to the Colleges.
Despite the fears of some, that did not have an appreciable effect on sales in Wellington. The sales tax went to the current level in July of 2015, and the second half of 2015 saw the most sales tax revenue of any six month period over the three year period. Also in July of 2015, the state sales tax went from 6.15 to 6.5.
At the beginning of 2014 the total sales tax in Wellington was 8.15 percent, and the city was getting 1.5 percent of that.
The year of 2015 saw the most revenue coming to the city through sales tax. Including the hospital’s portion, the city took in $1.9 million in 2015, and $2.3 million in 2015. Figures for December are not yet available, but in the first 11 months of 2016 the city took in $2.2 million in sales tax revenue.
The amount going to the hospital has increased dramatically since 2014. That year, $671,000 went to the hospital, and it went to just over $1 million in 2015. Through November of this year, that total is $1.1 million.
The city’s take, or what goes to the city’s general fund, has been relatively consistent. The city’s portion in 2014 was $1.231,043, and it went up some in 2015, to $1,289,617. The current year seems like it will be closer to the 2014 total.. Through 11 months the total is $1,135,777. If the city takes in what it did in December of 2014, it will be nearly exactly the same as 2014.
November of this year was down some though, at $93,462. That was the second lowest total over the past three years. March of 2014 was the lowest at $93,023. March has been the lowest month the past two years, and was just slightly above Novembers’ total.
Over the past three years, February has been the month with the most revenue from the sales tax, with totals of $112,534 in 2014, $119,265 in 2015, and $121,266 this year.
The biggest month over the past three years was September of 2015, when the city took in $130,269. Most of February’s figures can be derived from December sales revenues.
City of Wellington, includes hospital:
2016 – $2,021,198 (Through October)
2015 – $2,021,849
2014 – $1,704,912
2013 – $1,891,565
2012 – $1,477,317
2011 – $1,298,375
2010 – $1,275,909
2009 – $1,337,361
2008 – $1,352,395
2007 – $1,198,121
