Coffers at the City of Seminole saw healthy increases with the March sales tax distribution from the Oklahoma Tax Commission (OTC).

According to the OTC, the city received a sales tax disbursement of $488,804.75, a 24 percent increase over March 2020, when the amount was $394,145.00.

The March distribution was based mostly on January transactions.

The city also realized an increase in use tax revenue, which is based largely on online sales. The OTC reported that Seminole’s share of the March use tax disbursement totaled $42,541.32, up 44 percent over this time last year when the amount was $29,486.05.

Municipalities in Oklahoma depend almost entirely upon sales tax revenue for their operations. Under Oklahoma law, cities may use ad valorem (property) taxes collected by county governments only to pay the debt on bonds, such as school bonds, that have been approved by voters.

The Seminole County coffers saw spikes in both sales tax receipts and use tax revenue with this month’s OTC disbursement. According to the OTC, the county’s sales tax distribution totaled $243,413.12, a nine percent increase over March 2020’s amount of $223,541.73. The use tax distribution of $29,083.88 was up 35 percent over last March when the amount was $21,593.02.

Collections around the county Bowlegs: $2,125.05

Bowlegs: $2,125.05 (+9%)

Cromwell: $4,498.44 (+53%)

Konawa Sales Tax: $30,963.95 (+24%) Use Tax: $6,186.49 (+95%)

Maud Sales Tax: $14,322.04 (-.015%) Use Tax: $3,969.50 (+98%)

Sasakwa: $3,336.81 (+213%)

Wewoka: $63,992.00 (-10%) Use tax: $13,312.82 -21%)

The March distribution of sales tax collections by the Oklahoma Tax Commission primarily represents local tax receipts from January business. Companies that remit more than $2,500 monthly in sales tax receipts are required to file and pay electronically. The monies they reported this period represent sales from Jan. 16 - 31 and estimated sales from Feb. 1 - 15.