By Conrad Dudderar
Associate Editor
Yukon sales tax collections were flat this month, and up 3% overall for the first three months of fiscal year 2023-24.
The City of Yukon on Sept. 8 received a $2,382,179.54 distribution of sales tax collections from the Oklahoma Tax Commission, which primarily represents local tax receipts from July business.
That amount is .02% less than the $2,386,634.32 distribution in September 2022.
“We have to be so vigilant with our sales tax,” Yukon Mayor Shelli Selby said this week. “Every penny counts in this economy. Every time you shop south of 10th Street, you are taking money away from Yukon and our ability to pay salaries, and fix roads and equipment.”
Selby reminded Yukon residents to spend their sales tax dollars at businesses inside Yukon’s city limits.
“Please remember to shop Yukon … that means north of 10th Street,” she stressed.
N.W. 10th is the south border of Yukon city limits. All sales south of 10th Street raise tax revenue for the City of Oklahoma City.
On the north side of 10th Street along Garth Brooks Boulevard, City of Yukon officials expect sales tax revenue growth with the opening of several businesses.
“Please shop local and welcome our new businesses like HTeaO, Mardels, Crumbl Cookies, and 7Brew,” Mayor Selby said. “I am also excited about the new trampoline park going in behind Target.
“Things are happening and there’ll be more to come soon. We live in some kind of wonderful place.”
Through the first three months of FY23-24, Yukon’s sales tax collections have increased 3% over the first three months of FY22-23 – from $7,145,802 to $7,359,804.
Sales tax is the primary revenue source for Oklahoma’s municipalities, funding local government operations.
The City of Oklahoma City is the largest municipality in Canadian County – both in terms of population and sales tax collections.
For September, the City of Oklahoma City received $3,298,623.93 in sales tax revenues within Canadian County – a 1.6% increase over the $3,45,619.78 received in September ’22. That follows a 20.6% year-over-year jump in August and 11.6% in July.
The City of Yukon has a 4% local tax rate.
The City of Oklahoma City has a 4.125% local tax rate.
FOUR UP, FIVE DOWN
Across Oklahoma, the Sept. 8th disbursement of $200,587.224 in sales tax collections returned to the cities and towns reflected an increase of $1,205,740 from the $199,381,484 distributed to them in September 2022.
Yukon and Oklahoma City are among nine municipalities inside Canadian County that receive sales tax distributions monthly from the Oklahoma Tax Commission.
Four municipalities saw increases this September compared to September ‘22:
- Calumet – 5.3%
- El Reno – 28.9%
- Oklahoma City – 1.6%
- Piedmont – 22.1%
The other five municipalities had decreases in the year-over-year comparison.
- Geary – 10.6%
- Mustang – .02%
- Okarche – 2%
- Union City – 0.7%
- Yukon – 0.2%
Meanwhile, the September use tax disbursement to cities and towns across Oklahoma totaled $34,497,089.
The City of Yukon saw an 8.3% increase in use tax revenues – from $286,307.87 in September ’22 to $310,118.49 this month.
A use tax is a tax on goods or services that generally would be subject to sales tax, but the sales tax was not collected or was under-collected. Use taxes often apply to online or out-of-state purchases.
COUNTY RETURNS
In county returns for September, Oklahoma’s 77 counties shared in a $33,983,319 sales tax disbursement and a $6,503,886 use tax disbursement.
Canadian County experienced a 6.1% increase in sales tax collections between September 2022 ($865,702.92) and this September ($918,724.36).
Year-to-date in FY23-24, Canadian County’s cumulative sales revenues are up 5.3% over the same period in FY22-23 – from $2,544,668 to $2,681,282.
Canadian County’s .035% countywide sales tax is earmarked to fund operations at the Gary E. Miller Children’s Justice Center.
Canadian County’s use tax distribution was $210,974.78 for September, a 10.4% increase from $191,153.62 in September ’22.
