April sales tax reimbursement to the City of Fairfield fell off about $10,000 from a year ago, but income from the option levy continues to outpace 2008.

The April check from the Texas Comptroller is for $157,810, down 5.92 percent from the April 2008 payment of $167,745.

The payment received this month reflects taxes collected on retail sales in February and reported to the comptroller in March.

For the year, sales tax reimbursement to Fairfield has increased 8.33 percent, from $711,030 to $770,298.

Sales tax payments of $275.7 million are sent by the comptroller to 1,134 cities that collect the optional levy, a 2.2 percent decrease compared to April 2008.

So far in 2009, sales tax allocations remain up by 1.2 percent.

"Continued weakness in many important sectors, such as retail trade, mining and construction, resulted in a significant decrease in March sales tax collections," Comptroller Susan Combs says. "While year to date sales tax revenue is up 1.9 percent for fiscal 2009, further declines are expected this year."

April check to Teague is for $37,058, up 9.17 percent from the $33,943 received a year ago. For the first four months of 2009, sales tax income has increased 18.32 percent, from $161,430 to $191,018.

Wortham receives $6,618 this month, up 16.18 percent from the $5,696 reimbursed last April. Payements to Wortham this year are down 11.46 percent, from $35,831 to $31,722.

Payment to Streetman is $1,937 this month, up 135.23 percent from the $823 received last April. For the year, reimbursments to Streetman are up 40.36 percent, from $5,480 to $7,693.

In Anderson county, payments to cities total $442,796 this month, up 5.89 percent from the $418,156 reveived last April. Payments in Anderson county are up six percent for the year, from $2 million to $2.1 million.

Communities in Leon county receive checks totaling $112,401 this month, a 9.76 percent rise from the $102,402 reimbursed last April. For the year, payments are up 20.15 percent, from $434,796 to $522,415.

Reimbursements in Limestone county total $250,048 this month, down 2.31 percent from the $255,963 received last April. Sales tax revenue in Limestone county has increased 3.1 percent this year, from $1.1 million to $1.2 million.

Sales tax checks to communities in Navarro county total $366,563 this month, up 3.8 percent from the $353,131 reimbursed last April. For the year, payments are down 1.35 percent, from $1.78 million to $1.75 million.

Houston receives the largest April check, $35 million, which reflects a 1.59 percent drop in sales tax revenue compared to April 2008.