EBR sales tax collections jump nearly 7% in January

Sales tax collections in East Baton Rouge Parish continued their upward trend in January, posting a 6.8% increase over January 2011, according to a report out today from the city-parish finance department. The 2% sales tax dedicated to the city-parish general fund generated $13.1 million in January, up from $12.3 million in 2011 and $11.9 million in 2010. It was the highest January total since 2009, when the general-fund sales tax collections totaled $13.5 million, in part the result of rebuilding activity in the wake of Hurricane Gustav. January collections fared much better in the parish than they did inside the city limits, the report says. The $6.2 million collected in the parish represents a nearly 14% increase over January 2011 collections, while the $6.9 million brought in by the city is about a 1% increase over last year. Collections in the city and parish closed out 2011 up 4% over 2010 figures. A total of $162.5 million was collected last year, compared to $156.3 million in 2010 and $161.1 million in 2009. See a detailed breakdown of January collections here.