Southeastern NEWS

                                                       Southeastern Louisiana University
                                           Public Information Office
                                           SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
                                           504/549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
                                           publicinfo@selu.edu
                                           www.selu.edu/NewsEvents
    Date: 9/24/97
      Contact:                           Christina Chapple  44

HAMMOND SALES TAX COLLECTION UP 2 PERCENT
     HAMMOND -- August 1997 sales and use tax collection for the City of Hammond
totaled $721,905 -- 2.69 percent more  than August 1996 collections, according to an analysis by
Southeastern Louisiana University economist Yu Hsing, interim head of the department of
general business.
     Hsing said that taxable sales for August amounted to $36,095,000. "Monthly sales and
use tax collections vary a great deal, depending upon seasons and holidays," Hsing said.
     Hsing said Hammond sales and use tax collection from July 1996-June 1977 was $8.656
million, an increase of 4.8 percent over the previous fiscal year. He estimates that taxable sales
amounted to $432.8 million. "The increase of $19.85 million over the last fiscal year implies that
local spending is growing at a positive pace and that there is plenty of room for more and new
businesses for the local area," Hsing said.
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