The Christmas season was good for retailers in the Henryetta area. That was apparent in the sales tax report issued this week by the state Tax Commission.
Henryetta received a check from the state amounting to $227,311, up nearly $7,300 from a year ago.
At the same time that increase was recorded, Henryetta received a record-breaking $31,615 in use tax receipts. That was the most ever in the eight years the city has been receiving those funds. It was over $17,000 ahead of the same time a year ago and slightly less than $7,000 from the January numbers.
Those taxes are based on internet sales. In 2017 the state announced an agreement with Amazon.com, under which the giant online retailer agreed to begin collecting tax on Oklahoma purchasers/ Prior to that, Oklahoma’s state and local governments had been losing an estimated $108 million to $122 million per year in untaxed sales by Amazon.
Around the area, Okmulgee had a $22,409 gain with a sales tax check for $551,538.63; Dewar received $9,852.82, down $430; Okemah had a gain of $14,615, with a check for $101,694; Weleetka received $17,025, a gain of $3,220 from last year.