The Little Cypress Fire and Rescue Department will soon be losing the sales tax income from the International Paper containerboard mill. But a large check this month will help cover operating expenses for a while. The Texas Comptroller’s Office reports Orange County Emergency Services District No. 3 is getting $251,351 in sales taxes this month. The ESD governs the Little Cypress fire department. The monthly payment to the ESD is $6,121 less than the month’s payment to the City of Orange and is more than the cities of Bridge City and West Orange combined.
The amount of money covers sales taxes from June, which marked a quarter. Some businesses pay by the quarter. For the year to date, the ESD has received $465,684 in sales taxes.
International Paper asked to be annexed into the City of Orange. The city and company have negotiated an economic development contract for the annexation. The contract includes the city not collecting the 1.5 percent sales tax. The ESD implemented a 1.5 percent sales tax in late 2010 after voters approved a referendum. The sales tax affected all products being sold from the mill.
Other sales tax checks to local entities for August are:
Orange County: $517,941 for the month and $3.5 million for the year to date.
Bridge City: $149,780 for the month and $1.186 million for the year to date.
Orange: $257,472 for the month and $2.537 million for the year to date.
Pinehurst: $59,152 for the month and $418,290 for the year to date.
Vidor: $241,432 for the month and $1.702 million for the year to date.
West Orange: $96,783 for the month and $770,908 for the year to date.
-Margaret Toal, KOGT-
Social Media