Staff Report
St. Landry Parish sales tax collections posted a 9.3% increase through August compared to last year according to a report from the St. Landry Parish School Board’s tax division.
Total sales tax collections in the parish for August were $51,410,138, up $4,377,014 from the same month in 2019.
The August sales tax figures primarily reflect sales in July.
The numbers are the gross collections.
In July, the parish sales tax collections soared from June (19.6%) and from July 2019 (33.7%). The increase was attributed to collections from the oil and gas industry.
The positive trend compared to 2019 continued with the report on August collections.
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 doesn’t include state sales taxes.
In St. Landry Parish, the total in August was $6,239,039, up 8.8% from August 2019. Collections dropped $1,639,332 from the July total.
In Eunice, year-to-date collections through August were $4,276,648, up $706,886 or 19.8% from the same period in 2019. The August collections were up 17.9% or $76,789 from the August 2019 collections.
Year-to-date collections through August in Opelousas were $6,958,144, up $362,940 or 5.5% over the same period in 2019. The August collections of $859,661 were up $44,168 or 5.4% over August 2019. The August collections were down $107,375 or 11.1% from July.
In Road District 1, which collects a 2% sales tax in unincorporated St. Landry Parish to fund the Smooth Ride Home Program, year-to-date collections through August were $5,192,509, up 16.7% or $741,380 over the same eight-month period in 2019. In August, collections were $631,930, up 16% or $87,294 over August 2019. The August collections were down $373,679 or 37.2% from the July collections of $1,005,609.
The local sales tax rates in Eunice are 2.45% city and 3.55% parish.
Local sales tax rates in unincorporated St. Landry Parish are 5.55% parish tax rates that includes the 2% 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.