Texas State Sales Tax Collections Down From Last Year

(AUSTIN) — Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar said today that state sales tax revenue totaled $2.13 billion in September, 3.9 percent lower than in September 2015.

“Subdued spending for oil and gas drilling continues to depress sales tax revenue,” Hegar said. “Consumer spending also appears to have slowed, as sales tax collections from retail trade were down from the previous year. In contrast, construction sector receipts continued to grow.”

Total sales tax revenue for the three months ending in September 2016 is down 2.6 percent compared to the same period a year ago.

Sales tax revenue is the largest source of state funding for the state budget, accounting for 58 percent of all tax collections.

Motor vehicle sales and rental taxes, motor fuel taxes and oil and natural gas production taxes also are large revenue sources for the state.

In September 2016, Texas collected the following revenue from those taxes: 

• motor vehicle sales and rental taxes — $395.8 million, down 4.8 percent from September 2015;
• motor fuel taxes — $294 million, down 4.6 percent from September 2015; and
• oil and natural gas production taxes — $215.9 million, down 6.2 percent from September 2015. 
  

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