Brookhaven received only $11.40 more from sales tax collectionsin January 2004 than it did in January 2003.

But the $388,877.73 collected for the first month of 2004 wasstill a record for the city, said Chandler Russ, executivevice-president of the Brookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber ofCommerce.

“The year before was the highest total we’d ever collected,”Russ said, referring to a $388,866.33 received in January 2003.

Russ said the January total last year was about $20,000 morethan in January 2002. He said the $11.40 increase in January 2004was not abnormal.

“For us to maintain and barely pass that total was consistent,”Russ said.

For the month, Brookhaven placed 20th in the state among the topsales tax collectors. Russ pointed out that the January 2004 totalwas about 25 percent higher than the total in January 1997.

“What’s significant is the growth we’ve had in that time,” Russsaid. “We’re really proud of the job our merchants are doing inproviding goods and services for this area.”

Russ commended local and area shoppers for their efforts inpurchasing goods and services in Brookhaven.

In fiscal year to date collections, Brookhaven had $2,278,341through January 2003 and $2,424,057.73 through January 2004. Thestate fiscal year starts July 1.

In other parts of southwest Mississippi, McComb collected$510,093.80 as its share of January sales tax.

McComb’s January 2004 total, which placed the city 15th instatewide rankings, represented an increase of about $44,000 overthe January 2003 total of $466,542.41. For the fiscal year, McCombhad $2,733,823.36 in 2004 and $2,604,833.04 at the same point in2003.

Also in Pike County, Summit businesses gathered $19,971.14 inJanuary sales tax, a healthy increase over last January’s$17,759.39. So far in the fiscal year, the city had $133,965.85this year compared to $118,011.75 last year.

In Lawrence County, Monticello merchants took in $34,516.63 forthe city’s share of January 2004 sales tax, which was up slightlyfrom January 2003’s $33,908.57. The city remained ahead in fiscalyear to date collections with $236,233.91 in 2004 and $225,801.06in 2003.

Wesson businesses’ January sales tax collections were up to$11,873.44, compared to $10,503.08 last January. In fiscal year todate collections, the town had $74,895.07 for 2004 and $64,991.05in 2003.

To the west in Franklin County, Bude businesses rang up$8,095.78 for the town, which was up from January 2003’s $7,531.79.The town stayed ahead of its fiscal year to date pace, with$56,143.67 in 2004 and $53,558.18 last year.

Meadville merchants took in $8,928.72 in January 2004, which wasa drop from January 2003 with $9,847.11. The town remained ahead ofits 2003 pace with $59,411.55 this fiscal year and $58,073.22 lastyear.