Despite COVID-19, Bellaire and West University Place sales tax revenue is up year over year

Bellaire and West University Place have reported sales tax revenue largely up over where it was a year ago despite the economic effects of COVID-19, according to allocated sales tax data from the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts' Office.

Sales tax revenue allocated by the comptroller’s office comes from sales made two months earlier in local jurisdictions. Bellaire and West University Place saw strong January and February revenue numbers—substantial uplifts compared to a year ago, according to the data. March and April in 2019 and 2020 saw dips in both cities, though Bellaire’s 2020 April sales tax revenue dropped by more than $30,000, at approximately $167,000, as compared to a year ago, at approximately $198,000.

May sales tax revenue remained higher than last year in Bellaire and West University Place, though June revenue is at parity with 2019 figures.

Revenue totals from the two cities compare favorably to statewide figures, as Texas sales tax revenue totaled $2.67 billion in June, down 6.5% from a year ago, according to sales tax revenue figures released by the comptroller’s office July 1.

The newly released figures come as total sales tax revenue for the last three months ending in June is down 9.7% as 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.