Eunice avoids parish's slump in sales tax revenue

Eunice’s economy held is own during a December slump across much of the rest of St. Landry Parish.
According to sales tax figures from the School Board office, sales tax collections in Eunice were about $1,000 less in January than a year earlier, collections that reflect sales made in December.
That drop of less than 1 percent contrasts to a parish-wide decline of about 16 percent.
The Sales Tax Office’s report shows that parish-wide sales tax collections in January, again based on December 2009 sales, were more than $1 million under the first month of last year.
January collections are traditionally the highest of the year, as they include the peak of Christmas shopping season.
Eunice sales tax revenue was about $528,000, compared to $529,000 in January 2009.
The January figure still reflects strong Eunice-are revenue growth since January 2008, when the revenue was $462,000, according to city budget reports.
In other municipalities, Opelousas, was down 22 percent from a year earlier, or $234,690.
Port Barre collections dropped 27.5 percent.
Others:
Grand Coteau, down 17 percent; Washington, down 14.5 percent; and Arnaudville, down 3 percent.
On the other hand, Sunset’s collections were up 119 percent, to $61,324, the largest in the city’s history.
Melville reached a new high, with collections increasing 50 percent.
Also showing increases were Cankton, 15 percent, and Krotz Springs, 3 percent.