The latest state sales tax reports show Brookhaven failing to improve its sales tax numbers for the first time in five months.

According to the February 2013 sales tax report issued by the Department of Revenue, Brookhaven received $378,000 in sales tax collected on January retail activity.

During the same January retail period of 2012, the city collected a little bit more in revenue, nearly $383,000.

The numbers themselves are somewhat lackluster compared to the city’s more typical sales tax revenue of over $400,000, but the numbers are in line with area totals.

In McComb, the February 2013 report indicates the city’s January retail activity yielded $387,000, a small increase from the prior year’s approximately $375,000.

Natchez came in the lowest of the three mayor regional cities. It’s sales tax haul from January retail activity topped $374,000.

That was still upward movement compared to the total of the year before: nearly $367,000.

Mayor Les Bumgarner briefed aldermen on the totals at the city’s most recent board meeting.

He told them the numbers may be a little lower, but some higher totals of previous months are keeping the average sales tax revenue strong.

For budgeting purposes, the city estimated a monthly average of $410,000 in sales tax revenue during the 2012-13 fiscal year.

The Feb. 2013 report is the first one since Feb. 2012 on which the city sales tax revenue has been below $400,000.

Since July of 2012, the city has collected approximately $3.4 million, according to the Department of Revenue reports. On the February 2012 report, the city had, since July 2011, collected about $3.3 million.

The state sales tax reports operate on a fiscal year that begins in July, though the city’s fiscal year begins in October.