Edmond's sales tax collections increase more than $4.4 million

Also this year, Edmond has received an additional $4,102,999 from the new half-cent sales tax designated for the public safety center.

“This is a very positive position to be in,” said Ross VanderHamm, city finance director. “This is substantial growth.”

The December check covered sales tax collections from the last two weeks of October and the first two weeks of November.

Historically, December collections are down or flat, VanderHamm said.

“The increase was a surprise,” VanderHamm said. “This is pre-Christmas and preholiday sales.”

For the past four months, city officials said, one of the major reasons for the revenue increase was the sale of materials for roof repairs from a summer hailstorm.

An exact reason for the healthy December check is not known. The state Tax Commission is changing its sales tax computer program, and the transition is delaying that information, VanderHamm said.

Shoppers in Edmond pay an 8.25 percent sales tax on purchases; 4.5 percent goes to the state and 3.75 percent is returned to the city. Of the city portion, 2 percent goes to the general fund for operations.

For the month covered by the December check, general fund collections showed a 31.31 percent increase, or $652,442 more, when compared to a year ago. That comes to $2,736,018, which will go for the city's daily operations.

The remaining sales tax is divided among firefighters, the police department, parks and capital improvements, as designated by Edmond voters.