Almost all show income up for first half of 2026

By Murray Bishoff Special to the Cassville Democrat

Sales tax in Barry County proved sluggish in June, as almost every city saw receipts drop. 

Monett, however, generated such a big boost that it pushed both the city and county totals over last June’s mark. 

The seven Barry County cities received $887,766.92 in sales tax revenues for the month. Comparing the same taxes as last year, that represented a 6% increase. Only Monett and Washburn, which had its tax revenues withheld last June by the State Auditor’s office, saw increases. Use tax receipts were down across the board. That suggests generally less spending by the public since the Iran war spiked gasoline prices in March. 

Cassville saw its first monthly decline in 2026. The city’s 1% sales tax supporting the general fund produced $119,515.25, a drop of $585.64 from a year ago. Even Cassville’s use tax receipts fell by more than $4,000, or 14%. For the first half of 2026, receipts to Cassville’s general fund are up by 8%. Combining all Cassville’s four sales taxes and its use tax, revenues are up by more than $112,000, or 6%. 

Monett, the biggest sales tax generator in the county, bucked the month’s trend. Monett’s two sales taxes paying general bills yielded $239,608.32, up $24,956.66, or nearly 12%, the second highest June on record behind the 2022 peak. For the first half of the year, Monett’s taxes combined were nearly double what Cassville produced ($3.5 million in Monett vs. almost $1.9 million in Cassville), and up for the year by more than $340,700, or more than 10%. 

Seligman’s 1% sales tax for its general fund received $12,474.28 in June, down $696.41 from a year ago. Like Cassville, it was the first drop this year. Seligman’s general fund is up 6% for the first half of 2026. Not counting the city’s new 1% tax supporting law enforcement, combined sales and use tax revenues are up by $28,000 for the year or nearly 14%. With the law enforcement sales tax, city income is up by more than $106,000. 

Purdy’s 1% sales tax for its general fund was close to even with last year, producing $5,864.37, down $$322.47 from last June, the second drop in four months. Purdy’s general fund income from sales tax is up 9% for the first half of 2026. 

Wheaton followed Purdy’s pattern with a slight dip. Its 1% general fund tax generated $6,060.85 in June, down $274.42 from a year ago, the third drop in four months. Wheaton’s general fund income is down 4% for 2026. The city’s half-cent sales tax is back to its odd pattern, bringing in 47% of the 1% instead of 50%. The two taxes combined plus the city’s use tax showed a drop of nearly $5,000, or 8%, for the first half of the year. 

Exeter’s 1% sales tax for its general fund clung even closer to last June. The general fund tax received $2,885.65, a drop of $94.38 from last June. For the year, Exeter’s general fund income is down 8%, but combined with Exeter’s use tax, income is down only 3%, or less than $800. 

Washburn’s 1% sales tax generated $3,465.10 for its general fund in June, down $442.12 from two years ago. Having received payments for the two months lost by the State Auditor’s freeze in 2025, Washburn’s general fund income is up nearly $5,000 from a year ago. Combining all three Washburn sales taxes and its use tax, income for 2026 is down more than $3,000, or more than 5%, from two years ago. 

Countywide taxes reflected a more robust picture than the individual cities. 

Barry County’s two older half-cent sales taxes for the general fund and road maintenance each produced more than $259,698 in June, both up more than $5,100 from a year ago or 2%. Income from the two sales taxes the county has supporting its general fund is up by more than $106,500 for the year so far, or 6%. Combining all four of Barry County’s sales taxes and its use tax, income for the first half of 2026 is up by more than $685,500, or 12%. 

The separate .375% sales tax supporting central dispatching and 911 services in the county generated $194,774.08 in June, up $3,838.03 from a year ago. For the first half of 2026, income from that tax is up 6%.