Third quarter sales tax receipts include record-setting August

    Imperial city sales tax receipts for the 3rd quarter continued a trend since 2018 of higher totals.
    Each year since 2018, the combined totals from July, August and September have been higher than the year before.
    For 2021, those three months combined for $144,229.92 in total sales tax receipts received from the Nebraska Department of Revenue.
    Within the most recent quarter, the month of August brought in $51,660.08, which set a new all-time record for monthly totals since the city 1% sales tax started in 2007.
    July had a healthy $49,642.09 while September’s tally hit $42,927.75.
    Receipts in the 3rd quarter this year were more than $5,000 better than 2020 for the same three months.
    But that wasn’t near the jump occurring between 3rd quarters in 2019 and 2020, when last year’s pandemic-affected purchases grew by $20,000 during July, August and September, likely reflecting the fact more people were staying home.
    When the city receives its monthly receipts, the sales tax on vehicles is separated out and placed in the street department.
    The rest is then split 50/50 between the LB 840 economic development fund and the community development fund. The Imperial city council has final say for both accounts on what funds are awarded to whom.
    The city’s 1% sales tax is added to the state’s 5.5% for a total of 6.5% on eligible purchases.