JOHNSTOWN - Fulton County's second quarter sales tax revenue decreased by $140,983 after sustaining a similar drop in the first quarter.
County Treasurer Bruce Ellsworth Thursday released second quarter sales tax statistics he received from the state. Distribution numbers were down in virtually all the county's municipalities, he said.
The county's sales tax revenue was down in the first quarter by $149,000 and went down by $140,983 for the second quarter, Ellsworth said Thursday.
"I guess you never know what to expect," Ellsworth said. "It's not a surprise with the state of the economy."
Total sales tax distribution in the county decreased from more than $4.5 million for the second quarter of 2007 to less than $4.4 million for the second quarter of 2008.
The total distribution funneled through county government itself also was down by $87,050.
Ellsworth said the county budgeted $12.3 million in sales tax for all of 2008. The county has received about $5.4 million in sales taxes this year to date - down about 3 percent. History may spell more positive times ahead, Ellsworth said.
"The third and fourth quarters are [typically] the two biggest quarters," he said.
Sales tax reductions were also reported in the Glove Cities.
Gloversville's sales tax receipts dropped by $40,794 for the second quarter - from $642,840 a year ago to $602,045 for the latest quarter. The city of Johnstown's sales tax receipts decreased by $17,400 - from $775,163 for the second quarter of 2007 to $757,763 for the second quarter.
Total sales tax to the county's towns and villages was down by $53,932 for the second quarter. Only the towns of Northampton and Perth witnessed sales tax increases for the second quarter.
Both Ellsworth and Perth Supervisor Gregory Fagan said those increases had more to do with formula changes related to assessed value in those municipalities, rather than true increased economic activity.
"Whatever, our percentage of the total must have changed," Fagan said Friday.
His town had a $2,920 sales tax increase and Northampton saw a $504 hike.
Ellsworth said the sales tax ratios of distribution, based on assessed values, were up for those municipalities.
Asked whether the news is welcomed anyway, Fagan stated: "For my budget, it is, always."
Michael Anich covers Fulton County and Johnstown. He can be reached at johnstown@leaderherald.com.