San Marcos — In the up and down world of sales tax rebates, revenue given back to San Marcos by the State Comptroller’s Office has taken another dive. But when compared to the state as a whole, San Marcos’ rate of return remains relatively healthy.

According to Comptroller Susan Combs, July allocations to cities, which reflect sales that occurred in May, were 8.8 percent less this year than in July 2008. Regarding the year to date, however, revenues slipped by only 1.6 percent.

San Marcos will receive a rebate of $1,322,597.55 this month, down 1.38 percent from the $1,341,194.41 received in July 2008. So far this year, Combs has sent San Marcos $10,403,153.26 in allocations from sales taxes, which is 2.20 percent less than the $20,637,566.22 received during the first seven months of last year. San Marcos’ tax rate is 1.5 percent.

Of the 10 Hays County municipalities receiving sales tax allocations, only four saw monthly and year-to-date increases. They were:

• Buda: Monthly rebate of $270,709.63 is 15.79 percent higher than last July’s $233,744.58. So far this year, Buda has received $1,908,666.61, up .82 percent from 1,893,025.34 in 2008.

• Kyle: Monthly rebate of $189,912.11 is 11.33 percent higher than last July’s $170,570.19. So far this year, Kyle has received $1,450,562.79, up 15.14 percent from $1,259.795.73 in 2008.

• Niederwald: Monthly rebate of $1,956.14 is 6.17 percent higher than last July’s $18,843.28. So far this year, Niederwald has received $12,919.66, up 2.83 percent from $12,563.37 in 2008.

• Uhland: Monthly rebate of $4,872.59 is 13.45 percent higher than last July’s $4,294,70. So far this year, Uhland has received $23,571.69, up 24.12 percent from $18,990.18 in 2008.

Two others saw increases in monthly but not year-to-date returns and two more, a higher year to date total but lesser monthly check.

• Hays City: Monthly rebate of $1,544.88 is 11.93 percent higher than last July’s $1,380.11. So far this year, Hays City has received $8,470.57, down 9.95 percent from $9,406.94 in 2008.

• Mountain City: Monthly rebate of $398.29 is 16.31 percent higher than last July’s $342.41. So far this year, Mountain City has received $2,589.08, down .14 percent from $2,592.72 in 2008.

• Dripping Springs: Monthly rebate of $60,953.99 is 7.80 percent lower than last July’s $66,117.28. So far this year, Dripping Springs has received $422,680.80, up 5.10 percent from $402,164.90 in 2008.

• Wimberley: Monthly rebate of $38,944.56 is 3.81 percent lower than last July’s $40,489.26. So far this year, Wimberley has received $342,990.27, up 7.48 percent from $319,093.51 in 2008.

Except for San Marcos, the only other municipality to experience declines in both categories was Woodcreek, which got a monthly rebate of $2,635.38, down 7.41 percent from $2,846.58 last July. So far this year, Woodcreek has received $20,741.05, down 17.43 percent from $25,120.92 in 2008.

Buda, Kyle and Uhland all have 1.5 percent sales tax rates; in Dripping Springs it’s 1.25 percent; while in Hays City, Mountain City, Niederwald, Wimberley and Woodcreek the rate is 1 percent.



The next allocation will be made on Aug. 14.