Parish sales tax collections up 1.2% over a year ago

Staff Report
Total sales tax collections in St. Landry Parish through November are up 1.2% over the same 11-month period of 2018, according to statistics released by the St. Landry Parish School Board Sales Tax Division.
Total sales tax collections in St. Landry Parish through November were $64,249,181 up $781,241 over the 11-month total for 2018.
The parish sales tax report was impacted by the ransomware attack experienced by the state. The parish sales tax office said the attack delayed the reporting of revenue from motor vehicle sales.
The parish sales and use tax total includes collections for the parish government, School Board, solid waste, law enforcement, special tax districts and municipalities. The total does not include state collections.
There are 18 parish entities collecting sales taxes in St. Landry Parish.
In November, parish sales tax collections totaled $5,187,307, down 5.2% — $281,944 — from November 2018 collections.
From October to November, total parish collections were down 14.4% — $873,110.
Year-to-date sales tax collections in Eunice were $5,005,434, down 1.2% — $59,730 — from the 11-month 2018 total of $5,065,164.
Eunice collections in November were $469,777, up 12.5% from the November 2018 total of $417,509.
But Eunice collections from October to November dropped 1.5% — $7,463.
The 0.25% sales tax approved by Eunice voters for public safety pay raises was collected in October and was to start appearing in November’s report.
In Opelousas, sales tax collections through November were $9,136,580, a 2.9% increase from the November 2018 total of $8,878,847.
Opelousas sales tax collections in November were up 14.5% compared to November 2018.
But for October to November, Opelousas sales tax collections rose 0.5% — $4,187.
In St. Landry Parish Road District 1, which collects a 2 percent sales tax in unincorporated areas of the parish to fund the Smooth Ride Home program, the 11-month total was $5,920,417, down 7l6% from the $6,408,758 total in 2018.
The road district’s November total was $315,980, which was down 41.1% from the November 2018 total of $597,708 and down 67.5% from the October total of $589,723.
The local sales tax rates in Eunice are 2.45 percent city and 3.55 percent parish.
Local sales tax rates in unincorporated St. Landry Parish are 5.55 percent parish tax rates that includes the 2 percent Smooth Ride Home Program tax.
The sales tax numbers include a use tax, which is paid on items used, stored or consumed. The sales tax is collected on a transaction.
The numbers reported for October collections reflect sales in September.