“The decline in state sales tax collections was driven principally by steep drops in remittances from oil- and gas-related sectors,” Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar said in a news release. “Collections from the construction and amusement service sectors were also sharply down.
The majority of June sales tax revenue is based on sales made in May and remitted to the agency in June, according to the release. In addition, widespread social distancing requirements were relaxed across much of the state in May.
The newly released figures come as total sales tax revenue for the last three months ending in June is down 9.7% compared to the same period a year ago, according to the release. About 57% of all tax collections are made up of sales tax funding, according to the release, but the effects of the economic slowdown and low oil prices can be seen in other sources of revenue in June.
For example, motor vehicle sales and rental taxes are down 7.6% year over year, at $394 million, though a substantial improvement from April and May results, according to the release.
Revenue from motor fuel taxes has also taken a hit, down 24% from a year ago, now at $250 million, while revenue from natural gas production has taken a substantial hit, down 84% from a year ago, now at $20 million.
Revenue from oil production, hotel occupancy and alcoholic beverage taxes, meanwhile, has dropped 77%, 61%, and 47% from a year ago, respectively, and now sit at $83 million, $23 million, and $65 million, according to the comptroller’s release.
