Sales tax revenues continue recent trend; Tracking the Texas Economy Update

The Comptroller's Texas Ahead website features two powerful tools — Economic Outlook and Tracking the Texas Economy — to help you stay updated on the Texas economy. The latest updates include:

• Riding gains in oil and natural gas spending, retail spending and other economic sectors, sales tax collections for fiscal 2011 increased 9.4 percent over fiscal 2010 totals. State sales tax revenue for August 2011 jumped 11.9 percent compared with August 2010. The increase marks the 17th consecutive month of year-over-year gains.
  

• The Comptroller sent $483.9 million in September sales tax allocations to cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts, an increase of 10 percent compared with September 2010.
  

• Natural gas and oil production tax collections combined were 49 percent higher for fiscal 2011 compared with fiscal 2010. By contrast, fiscal 2010 oil and natural gas production tax collections combined were 24 percent lower than collections in 2009.

Texas Ahead also features the Texas 100 Stock Index, historical production and consumption data and other facts and statistics that shape the Texas economy.

Texas Tobacco Enforcement

The health dangers and concerns of tobacco use are no secret. But what are the Texas laws regarding minors and tobacco use? What can you do to help keep tobacco out of the hands of minors? Check out the Texas Comptroller's Tobacco Enforcement website, which provides answers to various questions, information about Texas legislation, police grants, training and more.