Published: October 27, 2009 07:03 pm      

County tax receipts in decline

By TESA CULLI

tesa.culli@register-news.com

MT. VERNON — Tax receipts within the county are continuing to decline, in addition to the planned decrease in the Public Safety Tax.

In October, the county received a total of $369,735 in tax receipts, down from $509,910 during the same month last year. In September, the county received $434,970 in tax receipts, which was down from $474,008 in September last year.

October was the first month which reflected a 1/4 percent reduction in the Public Safety Tax. The tax was decreased from 1/2 percent to 1/4 percent effective July 1, making the general merchandise sales tax rate in Jefferson County 6.5 percent, according to information from the Illinois Department of Revenue.

In October, the county received the amount it had been expecting — $81,836 — from the Public Safety Tax, a few hundred dollars over the estimated projections.

The 1/4 percent sales tax receipts were also down in October, coming in at $96,133, compared to $101,586 last year. Last month the county received $105,681 from the tax.

The county received $44,926 in 1 percent sales taxes, down from $54,021 last October, and down from $46,561 last month.

Income tax receipts were lower than last October, but higher than last month. The county received $127,320 from Income Tax receipts, down from the $161,315 in October 2008, but up from the $82,623 received in September.

Local use tax receipts came in at $17,519, down from $19,949 received last October and down from the $22,049 received in September.

Tax receipts in the county for the 2009 fiscal year, which started on Dec. 1, 2008, are at $369,735. In fiscal year 2008, for the same months, tax receipts were at $509,910; and in fiscal year 2007, the county received $502,281 in taxes.