General gains seen for first quarter of 2026

By Murray Bishoff Special to the Cassville Democrat

Sales tax to Barry County cities and county government bodies eked out an overall slight gain in March, with several major gains offsetting several drops, in part due to big jumps in use tax revenues. 

Cassville cities collecting sales tax, not counting the new tax in Seligman for police, showed a gain of 1% for the month. Monett, Purdy, Washburn, and Wheaton fell short of last March’s totals. Comparing the same taxes as last year, but adding in the revenues to Barry County and all the use taxes, revenues for the month rose by more than $51,000 or 3%. 

Cassville made the strongest municipal showing. Its 1% tax supporting the general fund generated $113,057.38, up $10,177.41 or 10% from a year ago, setting a new March record. The sum is up by more than $33,000 from five years ago. 

For the first quarter of 2026, Cassville’s use tax also saw an 18% boost in revenues, on top of a 15% increase in sales tax income. That put tax income for the first quarter of 2026 up $106,108.34, or 12%, from the start of 2025. 

In contrast, Monett, the county’s biggest sales tax generator, saw its sales taxes at 1% for its general fund generate $209,258.53, its second consecutive drop, down $4,255.75 from last March. Monett’s general fund receipts are up 3% for the first quarter. 

Monett’s use tax revenues followed Cassville’s example with a 26% gain for the first quarter. Adding together Monett’s sales tax and use tax revenues revealed a gain of more than $151,000 or 9% from the start of 2025, and up 14% from the start of 2024. 

Seligman’s 1% sales tax for paying general bills yielded $11,460.28 for the month, up $76.31 to essentially hold even with last March. General fund revenues for the first quarter are up by 9%. 

Total revenues for Seligman are up by 26% due to the addition of the new 1% sales tax for law enforcement. Counting the city’s use tax but only comparing taxes collected a year ago, revenues from tax sources rose by more than $8,000 or 8% for the first quarter of 2026. 

Purdy’s 1% sales tax for general use received $5,868.75 in March, down $56.30 for the month, or less than $113 for all three of the city’s sales taxes. It was the first drop this year. Tax revenues for the quarter are up by 7% for the year. That represented a $2,000 gain from last year, but still down $2,400 from two years ago. 

Wheaton’s 1% sales tax received $5,202.93 in March, down $2,855.24 from last March, the second drop this year. That put receipts for the general fund down 8% for the first quarter. Wheaton’s half-cent sales tax for transportation was back to its old tricks in March, generating only 39% of the one-cent tax. Combining all Wheaton’s sales and use taxes, revenues for the first quarter were down $2,382.51 or 8% from a year ago. 

Exeter’s 1% tax for its general fund generated $2,646.39, up $692.97 for its second gain in three months. General fund revenues are nonetheless down 19% compared to the start of 2025. Exeter’s use tax has seen a 14% rise in income this year. That cut the total drop for the first quarter from both taxes to a little over $1,200 or 8% compared to the start of 2025. 

Washburn’s 1% sales tax for paying general bills received $2,116.34, down $906.58 from last March, the second drop this year. General fund revenues for the quarter are down by 9%. Revenues from Washburn’s use tax spiked by 18%. That meant that with all tax revenues combined, Washburn’s tax receipts are down only $251.51 from the start of 2025. 

Barry County’s countywide taxes took the collective performance of the cities for a solid March gain. The county’s two half-cent sales taxes for general operations and road maintenance each generated $227,080, each up more than $8,322 for the third consecutive monthly gain. That pushed the total for the first quarter up by 15%. 

Barry County’s use tax saw a 7% rise for the quarter. Adding the county’s four sales taxes and use tax together, revenues for the quarter are up by almost $126,000 or 10% from the first quarter of 2025. Combining all Barry County’s sales and use taxes, income for the first quarter of 2026 is up by nearly $186,000 or 7%, when the increase between the first quarter of 2025 and 2024 was only $17.36. 

Barry County’s separate .385% sales tax supporting central dispatching and 911 service produced $170,309.19 in March, up $6,243.05 from last March. That raised the 2026 sum above last year’s pace by 7%.