Sales taxes down $6.4 million for year

With plant construction tapering off, Iberville's sales tax collections dropped by nearly $760,000 in June compared to June 2010 and were down by more than $6.47 million for first six months of the year, according to the latest report from the Iberville Sale Tax Department.

The parish collected $3.98 million last month, compared to $4.74 million in June of the previous year. For the year to date, collections stood at $23.5 million, compared to $30.2 million.

Last month, the Iberville Parish Council and the parish's six municipalities shared $2.08 million from two and two-third cents in sales taxes, a decrease of nearly $430,000.

The Iberville Parish School Board, which levies two percent in taxes, received $1.6 million, a decrease of some $290,000.

The one-third cent solid waste tax, which pays for residential garbage collections, produced nearly $270,000, down some $48,650.

The two percent tax on hotel and motel room rentals produced $3,817, down $97. The money is used for tourist promotions.

Additionally, the City of St. Gabriel, which levies a separate tax within its corporate limits, took in $78,167, down $11,787 from the previous June.

For the year to date, St. Gabriel's tax has yielded nearly $590,000, down some $41,600 from 2010.