Year-to-date sales tax collections are up by nearly 10 percent in Allen County over last year.
The figures, coming from the Kansas State Treasurer?s office, were announced in a press release Monday by Thrive Allen County.
In dollar terms, collections are up more than $226,000 countywide.
Individually, Iola?s sales tax revenue is up about 7.7 percent, Humboldt at 10.3 percent, LaHarpe, 11.2 percent, Gas, 18.8 percent, and Moran, 4.6 percent.
Iola has seen $81,204 in new sales tax collections over last year?s figures.
?We?re pleased to see growth countywide and in the city of Iola, where we?ve worked hard to attract large retailers like G&W Foods and Dollar Tree while also working to support smaller, locally owned businesses like Endless Summer and Experience the Lofts on the downtown Iola square,? Mayor Jon Wells said in a statement. ?With more development coming with the wind farm in 2019, as well as new retail projects that will be announced soon, it?s an exciting time in Iola and Allen County.?
?This report shows that the hard work that?s been happening countywide to grow our retail sector is paying off,? Thrive Chief Executive Officer David Toland said in the press release.
?The addition of large retailers like G&W Foods in Iola, as well as an abundance of smaller retailers and restaurants like the Mercantile and Opie?s in Humboldt, helps stop leakage of our residents to other counties as well as drawing in new customers from out of county.?
Thrive?s report connects Humboldt?s growth to several downtown improvements, including the Humboldt Mercantile, Frostbite Shaved Ice and Bijou Confectionary, with other new businesses scheduled to open soon.
