Two new taxes are generating more revenue for Clarke County than officials anticipated.
A cigarette tax of 20 cents per pack and a meals tax of 2 cents per dollar were levied by the Clarke County Board of Supervisors for the financial year that started July 1.
The county budgeted $100,000 in revenue from the cigarette tax for the entire year. Yet the tax already put $105,439 into the county’s coffers as of Oct. 31, a report presented to the supervisors on Tuesday shows.
July’s total of $50,496.80 was the highest monthly amount collected so far. Officials said that figure probably reflected not only taxes that smokers paid on cigarettes they bought, but also stickers that retailers were required to buy and affix to each pack sold.
A total of $17,892.20 was collected from the tax in August, followed by $19,950 in September and $17,100 in October.
If it continues to collect a minimum of October’s amount monthly through June 30, the county will generate at least $242,239 from the tax for the entire fiscal year.
