Local government sales tax collections within New York State totaled $5.5 billion during the first quarter of this year, according to a report released by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. This represents a 7.1% year-over-year increase, or nearly $369 million.
Within the first quarter, statewide sales tax collections increased by 9.2% in January and 14.1% in February but slowed to 0.3% in March. Fifty out of 57 counties experienced year-over-year sales tax increases during the quarter ”“ among the areas that recorded declines were Dutchess County (-7.4%) Westchester County (-4.5%) and Rockland County (-4.1%).
DiNapoli also noted that 14 of the 18 cities outside of New York City that impose their own sales tax instead of receiving a portion of county collections also experienced growth in the period ”“ Yonkers was among the cities that experienced a decline, with a 0.6% drop.
“Sales tax collections were quite strong in the first quarter,” DiNapoli said. “New York City”™s ongoing recovery from the pandemic, as well as high inflation, continues to bolster statewide numbers. For the rest of the state, collections growth has generally returned to the rates seen before the pandemic.”
