Cassville sales taxes down 4% for month

By Murray Bishoff Special to the Cassville Democrat

Barry County’s cities and county entities collecting sales tax in October took a sharp downturn. 

Six of the seven cities received less than last October, which stood in contrast to Lawrence County, where five of the six cities reported gains. 

The seven Barry County cities reported total sales tax income of $780,853.46, down 6% from a year ago. It was only the second drop in six months. 

Cassville saw its third drop in five months. The city’s 1% sales tax supporting the general fund generated $116,798.99, down $5,425.38, or 4%, from a year ago. It was still the third highest October on record, with the peak dating back to end-of-pandemic 2023. Cassville’s use tax was nearly identical to a year ago. 

For the month, Cassville’s four sales taxes and its use tax produced $7,600 less than a year ago. For the year, however, Cassville’s tax income is up almost $142,000, or almost 5%. 

Seligman’s 1% sales tax paying general bills yielded $12,263.16, down $2,332,54, or 16%, from last October. It was nonetheless the second highest October on record. Seligman took a double hit as its use tax was down by 29%. 

For the month, Seligman’s tax revenues are down by nearly $10,000, or 18%. For the year, however, Seligman’s sales taxes and use tax sum, not counting the law enforcement tax collected for only three months by this point last year, is up by more than $43,000, or 13%. 

Purdy represented the one bright spot in the county landscape in October. The city’s 1% sales tax for its general fund brought in $7,662.59, up $2,116.83, or 38%. It was the best October since the city split its two one-cent sales taxes into three different taxes in 2010. Income was up by more than $4,000 for the month. For the year, Purdy’s three sales taxes have brought in nearly $10,000, or 10%, more to city coffers. 

Wheaton’s 1% general fund tax received $4,060.37 in October, down $716.11 from a year ago. However, the city’s half-cent tax brought in 45% of the one-cent instead of 50%. Use tax receipts were down 19% for the month. That meant total tax income for Wheaton ended up down nearly $1,300, or 16%. It was the fourth drop in income for Wheaton in six months, putting the 2026 sum, including the use tax, down $4,200, or 4%, for the year. 

Washburn saw its third drop in four months. The city’s 1% sales tax for its general fund yielded $2,062.63, down $1,242.49, or 38%, from last October. Washburn’s use tax was down by $400 more. For the year, Washburn’s tax collections are ahead by $1,500 because of two months of suspended collections in 2025. 

Exeter’s 1% sales tax paying general bills took in $1,659.50, down $735.93 from last October, the third drop in five months. Exeter’s use tax was up slightly, putting the 2026 total for the two taxes ahead of last year by nearly $5,000. 

Of all the bi-county cities, Monett had the biggest general fund drop for the month and the biggest surge in its use tax income. Monett’s two sales taxes for its general fund at 1% produced $195,651.70, down $16,712.86, or 8%, for October. It’s still the third highest October on record. 

The city’s use tax income, however, grew by more than $47,000. That pushed the total monthly income from Monett’s five active sales taxes and its use tax more than $9,000 higher than last October. For the year, Monett’s tax income is up by more than $490,000, or 9%. 

Countywide taxes shared the municipal trend with lower numbers. 

Barry County’s two older half-cent taxes for its general fund and road maintenance each received $211,377, down $37,988, or 15%, from last October. It was the first drop in 2026. The county’s use tax, at the same time, shot up by nearly $80,000. For the month, total tax income was down by more than $44,000. Gains from the rest of the year made the 2026 sum up by more than $914,000, or 9.5%. 

The .375% sales tax supporting central dispatching and 911 service that goes to the Emergency Services Board yielded $158,533.28 in October, down $28,482.70, or 15%, from a year ago. The 2026 total is still ahead of last year by nearly $60,000.