Jacksonville's lackluster retail sales pull down average for the rest of the county

Count November as another mediocre month in the record books.

A retail sales snapshot released by the state comptroller's office indicates that the largest retail center in the county, Jacksonville, is posting sales that are seven percent lower year-to-date than a year ago.

The health of Jacksonville, as a retail base, pulled the average of all cities in the county into negative territory with a decline of 4.04 percent.

Joining Jacksonville was New Summerfield, with a 3.84 percent decline.

Posting an increase in retail sales were Wells, 19.65 percent; Cuney, 14.75 percent; Rusk, 10.95 percent and Alto, 5.55 percent.

The sales figures represent purchases made during October and sales tax remitted to the state comptroller's office during November.

Statewide, Comptroller Susan Combs reported modest growth in sales tax returns to cities. "State sales tax collections through the first three months of fiscal 2008 are up 6.6 percent compared to the same period last year," Combs said. "Growth is substantially slower than the vigorous 12 percent and 10.9 percent seen in fiscal 2006 and 2007, respectively. As the pace of the U.S. and Texas economies continues to cool, we expect the growth in Texas sales tax collections will continue to moderate."

For more information, visit the comptroller's website at www.window.state.tx.us.