COUNTY SALES TAX RECEIPTS SEE DOUBLE-DIGIT INCREASE

JACKSON -- Cape Girardeau County's sales tax receipts for 1994 are pouring in at another record rate through the first quarter of the year.

In March, the county's receipts from its half-cent sales tax totaled $510,696, the largest single monthly check ever received. The previous record was set last March when $469,823 was collected.

The 1994 March check is up 8.7 percent over last year's record check and primarily reflects sales from December, said Auditor H. Weldon Macke.

"On the whole, it has been growing and certainly we are glad to see it," said Macke. "After a year of no growth we have been increasing steadily each year recently. Obviously, we hope that trend continues in the future."

For the year to date, the percentage increase so far is 11.53 percent, and in actual dollars the increased receipts are running just over $101,000. In 1993, the actual dollar increase over all of 1992 amounted to about $227,000.

Macke points out if the trend established this year continues, it could have a major impact on the county's revenue picture for this year.

So far $981,325 has been taken in this year. For all of last year, total receipts were $3.45 million.

The growth rate in 1993 over the previous year was 7.02 percent; in 1992 the increase was 5.08 percent; but in 1991 the growth rate compared to 1990 was less than a half percent, the smallest growth the county has had since its sales tax took effect in 1980.

Macke believes one reason for the large increase so far this year is because sales of cars are up.

"What I keep hearing from financial institutions and from car dealers is that car and truck sales are up considerably, and that brings us a lot of sales tax revenue," said Macke.

"Otherwise, I don't know if we are gaining people, or if people are just more willing to buy items. From what I have heard on the government side, I don't think we have had that great of a recovery yet. But, it might be the recovery we have had so far in the economy has been enough to stimulate people to go out and make larger purchases like appliances."

Macke said the main thing is, the county's sales tax revenues are climbing.

"We just hope the trend continues," he observed.