According to data from the Kansas State Treasurer, year-to-date sales tax collections in Allen County are up 9.7% over the first three quarters of 2017, with increases also shown in the cities of Iola (up 7.7%), Humboldt (up 10.3%), LaHarpe (up 11.2%), Gas (18.8%) and Moran (up 4.6%). In dollar terms, collections are up more than $233,000 countywide.
Thrive officials attribute the increase to a variety of factors, including improvements in the national economy, a low unemployment rate in the county (6.6%), and investments by local governments and private developers in growing the retail sector. “This report shows that the hard work that’s been happening countywide to grow our retail sector is paying off,” said David Toland, Thrive CEO. “The addition of large retailers like G&W Foods in Iola, as well as an abundance of smaller retailers and restaurants like the Mercantile and Opie’s in Humboldt, helps stop leakage of our residents to other counties as well as drawing in new customers from out of county.”
A 2014 report commissioned by Thrive identified $7 million in grocery sales lost to other counties every year for grocery purchases in the county. With the opening of G&W Foods on the east side of Iola, most of those dollars are now staying in-county and are generating new sales tax for both the county and the city, as well as new utility sales for the city of Iola. In addition, both Iola and Gas have seen new investments by national discount chains, including Dollar Tree (Iola) and Dollar General (Gas).
The City of Iola has seen $81,204 in new sales tax collections over last year’s figures. Mayor Jon Wells noted that “We’re pleased to see growth countywide and in the city of Iola, where we’ve worked hard to attract large retailers like G&W Foods and Dollar Tree while also working to support smaller, locally-owned businesses like Endless Summer and Experience the Lofts on the downtown Iola square. With more development coming with the wind farm in 2019, as well as new retail projects that will be announced soon, it’s an exciting time in Iola and Allen County.”
In Humboldt, a major renaissance downtown has contributed to growth in sales tax revenue, with sales tax receipts up more than $19,000 over this time last year. Downtown Humboldt has seen remarkable growth in restaurants and retail, with Opie’s, the Humboldt Mercantile, Frostbite Shave Ice, and Bijou Confectionary contributing to the growth in the retail sector. Additional new businesses are also slated to open in Humboldt in the coming months.
