Natchitoches reports $14.1 million in 2024 sales tax receipts; December up 11% from 2023

Clarissa Brown Smith, city staff, presented the city’s sales-tax and hotel-occupancy tax data as of December 2024, reporting a city portion of $14.1 million for calendar year 2024 and year-over-year gains.

Brown Smith said the city’s 2024 sales-tax total was $14,100,000, an increase of $527,000 (about 3.8%) from the previous year. December 2024 collections were reported at $1,240,000 versus $1,100,000 in December 2023, an 11% increase. On a fiscal-year basis (the city’s fiscal year begins in June), year-to-date collections through December showed roughly a 4% increase, or $335,000, compared with the prior fiscal year.

Brown Smith also reported hotel-occupancy and economic-development-district receipts by area. For calendar year 2024 the hotel-occupancy tax collections were reported as a little over $72,000 for one category and $256,000 for district C. Economic development district results included: District A (Second Street/Lafayette/Sibley to Church Street) collected about $60,000 (up 30% year over year); District C (University Parkway area) collected about $465,000 (down about 3%); District D reported a 38% increase to $56,000; District E (River South Commons) collected $94,000 (up 12%); and District F (the Mill District) showed an 837% increase but Brown Smith noted that 2023 data for that district included only one month while 2024 was a full year, and the 2024 figure was $35,000 with two businesses in the area.

Council members asked what accounted for several month-to-month increases, and Brown Smith said staff and the sales-tax commission had been collecting delinquent accounts and returning those amounts to the city; she said a delinquent-collections report is available though it was not included in the meeting packet. City staff also described ongoing local projects tied to economic-development districts, including fence work and a DOTD driveway approval process for an improvement project in one district; Public Works Director Donald Forrest said the new section of fence has been installed and the city is awaiting DOTD approval for a driveway before finalizing wheel stops and bumper stops.

Council members described the sales-tax figures as “very promising” and noted recent retail announcements (including a proposed Ollie’s store) as potential contributors to increased local collections. Brown Smith and council members said the city will continue to monitor trends and delinquent-collection recoveries.