While statewide collections lagged behind projections,Brookhaven continued to post healthy sales tax totals for August,said Chandler Russ, chamber of commerce executivevice-president.

“We grew at about 9.5 percent,” Russ said. “I think the good,steady growth is the result of some projects and new businessesthat have opened in the last few months.”

At $320,868.11, the city’s collections were almost $30,000 aboveAugust 1999 collections of $292,896.07, according to MississippiTax Commission reports. The 2000 total allowed the city to claimthe 19th spot in the state’s Top 20 collectors.

Russ pointed out that only a handful of the other Top 20 citieshand percentage gains as good as Brookhaven, and some even sawsmall percentage declines. The city’s rate also exceeded the staterate, he added.

Although it probably won’t stay as robust as this month’s, Russexpects Brookhaven’s sales tax growth to remain strong in the nearfuture. He foresees monthly percentage gains in the 5-6 percentrange.

“I look for the growth to level off, but I think it’ll still besolid for the next 12 months,” Russ said.

In comparison of year-to-date totals, Brookhaven’s 2000collections were about $43,000 ahead of last year. The city’s 2000total was $640,819.43 and it was $597,618.68 in 1999.

Russ said the growth is further evidence that Brookhaven isgrowing as a retail and service trade center for southwestMississippi.

In other parts of southwest Mississippi, McComb collectionsreached $336,948.32 in August sales tax, good enough for 18th placestatewide. The August 2000 total represented only a small increaseof about $3,000 from the August 1999 total of $333,009.66.

In year-to-date totals, McComb had $683,356.64 in 2000 and$675,237.64 in 1999.

Also in Pike County, Summit businesses gathered $18,708.93 inAugust sales tax, a decrease from last August’s $21,006.80. For theyears-to-date, the town’s 2000 total was $38,994.59, a little below1999’s $42,511.07.

In Lawrence County, Monticello merchants took in $31,826.34 forthe city’s share of August 2000 sales tax, a small increase overAugust 1999’s $31,161.14. The city’s 2000 year-to-date total wasahead of its 1999 pace: $63,005.00 this year and $64,286.71 lastyear.

Wesson businesses’ August sales tax collections were up to$9,115.72 compared to $8,892.26 last August. Its year-to-datetotal, though, was down at $18,507.66 this year and $19,529.62 lastyear.

To the west in Franklin County, Bude businesses rang up$6,963.86 for the town, a decrease compared to August 1999’s$7,416.52. For 2000, its yearly total was $16,019.81 and $15,643.82in 1999.

Meadville merchants took in $8,921.45 in August 2000, anincrease from August 1999 with $7,239.20. Yearly totals show thetown with $18,037.42 in 2000 collections and $15,842.63 in 1999collections.