Brookhaven’s tax diversion receipts for January revealed a drop in local spending from the same month in 2017.

Receipts for January totaled $520,535.84, which marked a $13,130.29 decrease from the previous year. However, January receipts indicated a $58,459 increase from December 2017.

Since July 1, 2017, Brookhaven has received $3,363,142.72 in state tax diversions, which shows an insignificant $772.43 drop off from the same period the year before.

The small dip in Brookhaven’s diversion receipts contrasts with the overall boon in the Mississippi economy. Statewide tax diversions for January were $42,238,319.18, which was $72,243.99 more than in January 2017.

Likewise, the state has paid $257,903,891 in tax diversions since July 1, 2017, which marked an increase of $785,651.82 from the same period the year before.

Sales tax has a three-month cycle. In month one, tax is collected by the retailer, then paid to the Mississippi Department of Revenue in the second month. In the third month, the diversion is paid by MDOR to the cities. Reports are based on the month the tax is collected — month two.