Sales tax receipts again paint dismal picture for Springfield city budget

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – There’s more rough news for the City of Springfield’s budget. Last month's step forward in sales tax revenues just took three steps back.

The city receives its checks from the state about two months after they’re collected at cash registers. For November sales, January's receipts were 3.53 percent below the year before. City staff hoped February's increase of 1.35 percent from the previous year was a sign that they'd turn the corner. However, March numbers came in 17.9 percent below March 2009.

""I was very surprised after last month and being up more than one percent, I had hoped we'd seen a slow recovery," said City Manager Greg Burris. "I was very shocked."

The city manager says he'll recommend specific cuts to City Council in the next two weeks.