Ga., Gordon County tax collections remain strong

The General Assembly will begin reviewing Gov. Brian Kemp’s budget proposals next week with some strong revenue numbers as a backdrop.

The state collected more than $3.2 billion in taxes last month, an increase of 7.5% over December of last year, the Georgia Department of Revenue reported Friday.

The December results closed out the first half of the current fiscal year with tax receipts up 6.5% over the first six months of the last fiscal year.

Despite the overall strength of December tax collections, individual income taxes fell by 6.5% compared to December 2021, driven by a rise in refunds issued and a decrease in payments.

Net sales tax collections increased by 7.5% last month, a sign of a strong holiday shopping season.

Corporate income tax receipts shot up by 108.9% in December, with the rise in payments issued far exceeding an increase in refunds issued to corporate taxpayers.

With the temporary suspension of Georgia’s sales tax on gasoline and other motor fuels still in effect last month, motor fuels tax receipts dropped by 104.2%. Kemp’s last order renewing the suspension of the tax expired this week.

LOCAL NUMBERS

Locally for December, Gordon County Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax saw $1,185,812 in distributions, down from $1,190,058 in November, but still up from $1,086,089 collected the same month last year. Meanwhile, in December, the county’s Local Option Sales Tax brought in $723,460, compared to $727,849 in November, but up sharply from last year’s $688,014.

The City of Calhoun’s LOST saw a distribution of $420,290 in December, down from $422,964 in November, but up significantly from $373,285 a year ago.

Both Education Local Option Sales

Tax totals were down slightly compared to November. The county’s ELOST came in at $772,318, down slightly from $786,522 in November, but up sharply over $695,464 in December 2021. City ELOST for December was $485,642, down from $488,255 in November, but up significantly from $422,834 in December of last year.

For Fairmount, its December LOST dollars totaled $15,794, up from $16,015 the month before, but up from $14,121 the same time last year. Finally, Resaca’s LOST came in at $19,898 for December, down slightly from $20,238 in November, and up from $10,861 a year ago.

Finally, The City of Plainville’s LOST collection was $7,311 in December, down slightly from $7,235 in November. Plainville wasn’t part of last year’s sales tax distribution.