Small towns depending on sales tax to help keep its economies balanced

CALHOUN COUNTY,Miss. (WCBI) – As the state continued to re-open, cash registers were ringing up merchandise again, and that meant sales tax collections should begin to climb.

That’s big news in small towns where those dollars help keep the budgets balanced.

In a small town like Bruce, every dollar counts.

Ellen Shaw is the Alderwoman for Ward 5.

She said when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, her town began to experience an economic downfall.

” It’s been really hard, that’s been very difficult,” said Shaw.

Shaw said April and March showed some of the lowest numbers.

“You know the budget is one of those things that fluctuate a-lot and it takes a while for it to even back out but I think that it will get back to where it needs to be,” said Shaw.

She believed in order for Bruce’s city budget to bounce back, citizens needed to spend their money closer to home.

“Shopping local is very important for a small area because that does fund everything from streets to any kind of sewer improvements and it’s very important for all the infrastructure

Shaw said with stores re-opening, the sales tax totals should start to climb again.

” been great for the economy, I think it’s given people confidence to get back out and shop and get in their local areas and get back involved again,” said Shaw.

And hopefully, businesses in Bruce will continue to grow.

” I do think it’s giving people hope for the future and I just think seeing people out and be involved gives hope to start something new and to be back involved,” said Shaw.

It may take until the end of the year for sales tax collections to return to normal.