Brookhaven climbed back into the state’s Top 20 sales taxcollections with a slight increase in April totals, according tostatistics from the state tax commission.

At $329,076.61, Brookhaven placed 20th for April. Last month’stotal was about $1,300 more than April 2002’s $327,763.28.

“All in all, it was a modest increase from this time last year,”said Chandler Russ, Brookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerceexecutive vice-president. “We’re still down for the year incollections.”

In year-to-date collections, the city’s 2003 total was$3,195,236.55 compared to $3,225,604.80 at the same point in2002.

Russ said he hoped to see improvements in the coming months tooffset lower monthly collections earlier in the year. That, hesaid, would depend in part on a stabilization of the overalleconomic picture to stop a downward trend.

Russ was pleased that the local economic picture was able toimprove a little in April.

“All of our business, industry and retail sectors had a goodmonth,” Russ said. “They’re providing quality goods and services toarea residents.”

In other parts of southwest Mississippi, McComb collectionsmoved up to $389,118.61 in April sales tax. The April 2003 total,which placed the city 17th in the state, represented an increase ofabout $12,000 from the April 2002 total of $377,404.73.

In year-to-date totals, McComb had $3,665,155.81 in 2003 and$3,659,829.11 in 2002.

Also in Pike County, Summit businesses gathered $16,484.85 inApril sales tax, a decrease from last April’s $17,552.93. For theyear-to-date, the town’s 2003 total was $165,350.43, about $17,000behind 2002’s $182,950.58.

In Lawrence County, Monticello merchants took in $34,531.34 forthe city’s share of April 2002 sales tax, a small increase fromApril 2002’s $33,304.16. The city’s 2003 year-to-date total stayedahead of its 2002 pace: $321,882.67 this year and $312,717.14 lastyear.

Wesson businesses’ April sales tax collections were down to$9,194.47, compared to $9,594.88 last April. Its year-to-date totaltrailed its 2002 pace with $91,778.87 this year and $98,918.45 lastyear.

To the west in Franklin County, Bude businesses rang up$7,761.69 for the town, a decrease compared to April 2002’s$8,266.54. For 2003, its yearly total was $75,365.64 and $81,742.44in 2002.

Meadville merchants took in $8,947.47 in April 2002, down fromApril 2002 with $9.929.37. Yearly totals show the town with$82,288.13 in 2003 collections and $85,573.09 in 2002collections.