You would think that if a retail business closes, those lost sales would be reallocated to other stores in the area. Brownsville, Texas is finding that not to be the case when stores such as Mervyns, Hooters, Taco Cabana, Circuit City, Starbucks, Petco, Kay-Bee Toys and Linens-N-Things closed.
During less tumultuous circumstances when one store or restaurant closes its sales shift to another business. But these are extraordinary times. As stores have closed it appears they are taking a portion of their sales receipts.According to Pete Gonzalez, deputy city manager and chief financial officer for the city of Brownsville, sales tax allocations are down more than 1 percent through the first four months of the fiscal year starting in October.And the trend could be accelerating. Total collections for January and February of 2009 are down 7.1 percent compared to the same period in 2008, according to the office of the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.
Other city’s sales tax “revenues” are down compared to the same month last year, too:
- Denver, CO down 8.4%
- Nassau County, NY down .9%
- Chandler, AZ down 16.8%
- Montgomery, AL down 10%
Longview, TX was up 6.5%, Norman and El Reno Oklahoma were both up about 17% while War Acres, Oklahoma was up 38%.
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Ryan is an attorney and valuation specialist residing in Chicago. He chronicles his thoughts and research on FranchisePundit.com. You may reach him by email ryanknoll@gmail.com or mobile telephone 312-715-8115.
