Sales tax revenues sluggish in June, cities generally close to 2025 pace

Sales tax to Lawrence County cities and county government bodies were generally down in June, leaving a mixed bag of totals compared to the first half of 2025. 

The six Lawrence County cities collecting sales tax took in $682,629.59 in June. That was down 3 percent from a year ago. Only Mt. Vernon bested last June’s totals, while Miller and Pierce City came very close to holding even. 

Mt. Vernon

Mt. Vernon’s 1 percent sales tax supporting the city’s general fund generated $193,189.59, up $9,290.28 or nearly 10 percent from a year ago. It gained enough to offset the drop in May, hitting a new June record. This third gain in six months pushed the general fund sum up 2 percent over last year’s pace. Combining all four of Mt. Vernon’s sales taxes and its use tax, revenues for the first half of 2026 are down by more than $18,000 or a little over 1 percent. 

Aurora

Sales tax to Aurora has been unusually volatile this year, dropping in June for the third time in four months. The city’s 1 percent sales tax for general expenses received $137,670.17, down $7,748.60 or 5 percent. Aurora’s general fund is up more than $27,000 or 3 percent so far this year. Aurora’s use tax, contrary to Mt. Vernon’s, logged a hefty 26 percent gain for the month. The city’s four sales taxes and its use tax combined for a gain of more than $106,000 or almost 5 percent for the first half of 2026. By comparison, Aurora’s $2.3 million tally compares to the $3.5 million sum generated by sales tax in Monett. 

Marionville

Marionville’s 1 percent sales tax for its general fund yielded $14,774.81 in June, down $6,775.67 from a year ago, the second drop in four months. That put Marionville’s general fund sum for the first half of 2026 down $8,300 or 8 percent from last year’s pace. Combining Marionville’s five sales taxes and its use tax put the city’s tax income for the first half of 2026 up by more than $5,400 or 2 percent. 

Miller

Miller’s two sales taxes supporting its general fund received $9,291.11 in June, down $1,316.02 from a year ago, the fourth consecutive monthly drop. The city’s other three taxes all saw increases, reducing the total drop for the month to $476.05. While the city’s general fund for the year is down by less than half a percent, combining Miller’s five taxes shows a gain of more than $2,000 or 2 percent. 

Pierce City

Pierce City had perhaps the oddest monthly comparison to ever surface in the county’s sales tax history. The city’s two sales taxes for the general fund generated $11,124.54, up 5 cents from a year ago. The city’s other three taxes followed suit with a similarly small dip, resulting in a monthly combined total that was down 3 cents from last June. Pierce City’s combined tax totals for the year are down by almost $1,500 or about 1 percent. 

Verona

Verona’s 1 percent sales tax for its general fund produced $1,918.64, down $1,650.50 or more than half from last June, the lowest June total since 2018. That put Verona’s general fund sum for 2026 down 17 percent or almost $3,000 under last year. 

Monett

Monett stood in stark contrast to the Lawrence County cities except for Mt. Vernon, outpacing all the other Barry County cities. Monett’s two sales taxes paying general bills yielded $239,608.32, up $24,956.66 or nearly 12 percent, the second highest June on record behind the 2022 peak. For the first half of the year, Monett’s taxes combined were up by more than $340,700, or more than 10 percent. 

Countywide taxes

The drag of lower municipal taxes pulled down the countywide tax totals as well. 

Lawrence County’s two half-cent sales taxes for its general fund and road maintenance each produced $197,071, both down by $2,245 compared to last June. However, the county’s use tax outpaced that mark, bringing in $241,819.81, up by more than $36,000. For the year, Lawrence County’s general fund tax income is up by almost $24,000 or 2 percent. Combining all the county’s taxes and use tax, income for the first half of 2026 is up by more than $514,600 or 9 percent. 

The separate half-cent sales tax funding 911 and central dispatching generated $183,543.58 in June, down $15,527.57 from a year ago. That put the total of the first half of 2026 up by more than $13,500 or 1 percent for the year.