Local Sales Tax Collections, First Half 2014 to First Half 2015
County
Jan. to June 2014
Jan. to June 2015
% Change
Columbia
$16,972,367
$16,740,723
-1.36%
Dutchess
$85,819,457
$84,054,647
-2.06%
Greene
$13,628,533
$13,969,542
2.50%
Orange
$125,532,491
$126,423,572
0.71%
Putnam
$26,814,136
$25,968,159
-3.15%
Rockland
$97,733,913
$97,703,058
-0.03%
Sullivan
$16,209,638
$16,611,689
2.48%
Ulster
$47,302,526
$51,252,925
8.35%
Westchester
$251,764,779
$245,255,071
-2.59%
ALBANY – Local sales tax revenues collected in the first half of the year rose in Ulster, Sullivan and Greene counties when compared to the same six-month period last year.
Ulster County’s increase of 8.35 percent was the highest growth in the state, a positive sign of a rebounding economy.
Greene County local sales tax revenue was up 2.50 percent while in Sullivan County, the tax rose by 2.48 percent.
In Orange County, sales tax revenue grew by less than one percent.
Local sales tax collected fell the greatest in Putnam County, with a drop of 3.15 percent
Westchester County fell by 2.59 percent.
Dutchess County collections were off by two percent while Columbia County fell by 1.36 percent.
Rockland County local sales tax collections were flat.
Statewide, local sales tax collection growth slowed to 1.6 percent in the first six months of 2015 from three percent growth in 2014 and was considerably lower than the 4.2 percent average annual growth over the past 15 years, according to a report from State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.
“There has been a general downward trend in sales tax collection growth over the last several years and that is continuing in 2015,” DiNapoli said. “The slow growth in sales tax could pose fiscal challenges for local governments across New York, especially for counties who rely heavily on sales tax collections to pay their bills.”
