The Ector County Assistance District brought in $1.95 million in revenue this month with their sales tax check from the state for May collections.
This month’s payment from the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts increased by about $200,000 compared to June’s check of $1.74 million for April collections.
The comptroller’s website states the Ector County Assistance District has received payments totaling $3.7 million to date. The county sales tax did not officially go into effect until April 1 and county commissioners said the results are reflective of the economy’s growth.
Ector County Judge Debi Hays said if the checks received are any indication of what is to come, then original projections, which estimated revenues would fall somewhere between $12 million and $15 million, will be shattered.
“The growth that West Odessa and south Odessa have experienced is more than we anticipated,” she said.
Hays said ongoing growth in the county has transpired since the assistance district and consumption tax was passed by voters in November, and it has shifted the revenue totals that were forecasted during the election cycle.
Precinct 2 Commissioner Greg Simmons agreed that the outcome has been better than the Commissioners’ Court predicted and said millions more could be generated with the assistance district if revenue remains steady. His conservative estimate suggested up to an additional $3 million could be collected by the county.
Ector County Auditor Randy Donner said the sales tax revenue will influence how commissioners proceed with budget meetings with department heads occurring this week and ultimately the proposed county budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
