DUNCAN —
There has not been a change in Stephens County’s sales tax rate since Oct. 1, 2006 when it decreased from .75 percent to .55 percent, however, the rate will go up to .70 percent effective April 1, 2013.
This .15 percent increase was voted on by county residents in November 2012 and the funds that come with the rise will help county fire departments and the five senior citizen nutrition programs in the county. The sales tax will stay in place for seven years and expire March 30, 2020.
Sales tax collected for Stephens County in the March report from the Oklahoma Tax Commission saw an increase from last year’s report. Collections went from $258,357.70 in 2012 to $274,294.91 in 2013, resulting in an overall increase of $15,937.21.
The March distribution of sales tax collections by the Oklahoma Tax Commission primarily represents local tax receipts from January business. The monies they reported this period represent sales from Jan. 16-31 and estimated sales from Feb. 1-15.
Most cities individually saw an increase in sales tax collections, including Duncan, which was up to $989,269.56 as compared to $988,445.97 in 2012.
Central High showed the biggest increase of $2,664.21 with $2,808.62 in 2013 as compared to $144.41 in 2012.
Other cities within the county that held increases were Comanche, going from $38,804.41 in 2012 to $48,787.98 and Velma, going from $31,283.76 to $35,957.72.
Both Bray and Marlow saw decreases in their sales tax collections to date. Marlow saw the biggest decrease of $21,943.56 by collecting $139,564.03 in 2012 and only $117,620.47 this year.
Bray decreased from $3,805.28 in 2012 to $1,686.12 in the same time period for this year.
March 2013 distribution for all of Oklahoma reflected $122,877,565 in sales tax collections was returned to 507 cities and towns, reflecting an increase of $3,940,329 from the $118,937,236 distributed to 509 cities and towns in March last year.
In county returns, 76 counties shared in a $27,165,870 sales tax disbursement, which is up from the 76 counties sharing in a $26,031,371 sales tax disbursement in 2012.
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