EBR sales tax collections up 8.2% in July

Retail sales in East Baton Rouge Parish netted the city-parish $13.9 million in sales taxes in July, an increase of about $1 million, or 8.2%, from the same month a year ago, according to a Finance Department report released this morning. July sales were strong within city limits and outside them, the report says. The 2% sales tax netted $6.9 million inside the city, an increase of 5.7%, while roughly $6 million was collected in the parish, an increase of 10.4%. A strong July helped push year-to-date collections through the first seven months of 2012 to $100.5 million, which is 9.1% better than the same period a year ago. July was the final month in which Baton Rouge received a boost in collections from the U.S. Bowling Congress Open Championships, Mayor Kip Holden notes in a prepared statement. The bowling tournament began Feb. 11 and concluded July 10 at the River Center downtown. The 151-day national bowling tournament drew 58,704 bowlers and 11,496 guests from across the country, and had a $113.2 million economic impact in the Capital Region, according to a study by Baton Rouge-based SCI Research. Holden says he and Visit Baton Rouge President/CEO Paul Arrigo are already in discussions with USBC officials about bringing the men’s national tournament to Baton Rouge for a third time, as well as bringing the national women’s bowling tournament here. You can take a look at the complete sales tax report here.