Annual sales tax declines in The Woodlands, Shenandoah and Oak Ridge North continue in May, July data shows

The Woodlands, Shenandoah and Oak Ridge North continued to experience lower year-over-year sales and use tax collections in May, according to July sales tax net payment information from the Texas comptroller of public accounts.

The July data, covering May sales tax activity, once again reflected double-digit decreases in sales tax collections when compared with July 2019 data. However, the latest figures represent less of an annual decline than each entity experienced in April, based on June payment data.

July 2020 net sales tax payments for The Woodlands totaled $3.03 million, around 24% less than the $3.98 million in payments recorded in July 2019. Those figures include payments by both The Woodlands Township and The Woodlands Township Economic Development Zone, which each collect 1% sales tax across the same area. The township’s payments dropped from approximately $2.18 million to $1.63 million from July 2019 to July 2020, while the EDZ payments dropped from around $1.8 million to $1.39 million over the same period.

Fiscal year-to-date payments are also slightly down for both The Woodlands entities. Combined, the entities' $27.86 million net payments recorded through July this year are around 4.78% less than the $29.24 million in payments recorded as of July 2019.

July sales tax net payments for Shenandoah and Oak Ridge North each fell at a lower rate year over year than The Woodlands. In Shenandoah, the city’s $426,559.80 July 2020 payment represents an 11.59% decline over its $482,478.25 payment from July 2019. Through this fiscal year, Shenandoah has recorded an 8.83% drop from 2019’s $3.49 million total payments to this year’s $3.19 million.

Oak Ridge North’s July 2020 payment of $135,033.22 is more than 18% lower than its July 2019 payment of $165,216.67, based on information from the comptroller’s office. Its year-to-date payments fell at a slightly higher rate than Shenandoah, with a 2020 total of $1.39 million representing a 9.43% drop from last year’s $1.54 million total through July.

Texas cities' July net sales tax payment information may be viewed here. Information for special-purpose districts, including The Woodlands Township and its EDZ, may be viewed here.