September sales collections skewed?

UPPER CUMBERLAND – State sales tax collection numbers for the Upper Cumberland in the months of August and September seem slightly skewed, although the region has shown gains in both reported months.

The numbers were released late by Upper Cumberland Development District (UCDD) analyst Henry Bowman due to “definite problems” with parts of the data. Collections for Fentress, for example, have been distorted by some sort of misclassification, he said. For the month of September, the county was down 37.9 percent from the year prior. Reversely in August, Fentress showed a 73.9 percent gain.

“Consequently, Fentress County and UCDD data are unusually suspect for those time periods,” he said.

Despite the discrepancy, the region still had growth for the moth, collecting more than $20 million in September for a 0.9 percentage point gain.

The county’s largest collectors saw increases, including Putnam (5.1) and Cumberland (2.2). Warren and White both saw moderate jumps, respectively, with 0.1 percentage point gains. Rounding out the region were Jackson (21.5), Van Buren (16.1), DeKalb (6.7), Cannon (5.2), Overton (3.9) and Macon (3.3).

Seeing decreases were Smith (-1.9), Clay (-2.1) and Pickett (-4.9).

Collections, which are considered just one measure of economic activity, are based on state sales taxes; local option taxes are excluded. Sales data lags by one month; for example, September numbers reflect August activity.

Counties

September

Year prior

Percent change

Cannon

$313,837

$298,223

5.2

Clay

$242,066

$247,376

-2.1

Cumberland

$3,893,699

$3,810,822

2.2

DeKalb

$852,130

$798,881

6.7

Fentress

$712,214

$1,146,491

-37.9

Jackson

$191,019

$157,184

21.5

Macon

$947,348

$917,374

3.3

Overton

$790,291

$760,356

3.9

Pickett

$213,800

$224,811

-4.9

Putnam

$7,745,749

$7,367,153

5.1

Smith

$823,712

$839,678

-1.9

Van Buren

$118,532

$102,087

16.1

Warren

$2,019,814

$2,018,216

0.1

White

$1,150,187

$1,148,860

0.1

UCDD

$20,014,398

$19,837,512

0.9

TN

$622,114,000

$590,715,000

5.3

Source: Compiled by the Upper Cumberland Development District from data published by the Tennessee Department of Revenue.

 

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