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Mountain Home collected slightly less city sales tax in July than it did a year ago, the first month-over-month decline the city has posted this year.
The city took in $625,373.45 for the month, down $2,626.27 from the $627,999.72 collected in July 2025. That works out to a 0.42% decrease. The figures come from a monthly report by Director of Finance and Treasury Alma L. Clark.
The July numbers reflect sales made in May, since the state distributes the money to cities about two months after transactions occur.
The dip is small and follows an unusually strong July last year. Year to date, city sales tax collections are up $109,495.08, a 2.68% increase over the same seven months of 2025.
Through July the city has collected $4,190,916.74 toward its 2026 budget of $7 million. That puts Mountain Home at 59.9% of the budgeted figure with 58.3% of the year gone.
Mountain Home’s share of the Baxter County sales tax moved the other direction. The city received $299,262.13 for the month, up $2,564.77 or 0.86% over last July’s $296,697.36. Year to date, the county share is up $93,812.77, a 4.92% increase.
The public safety sales tax, which helps fund the police and fire departments, brought in $234,515.04. That is down $984.86 from last July, a 0.42% decrease that mirrors the city tax. Public safety collections are up $41,060.65 for the year, a 2.68% increase.
The park improvement sales tax collected $312,686.73 for the month. That is $98,061.78 above the $214,624.95 monthly bond payment the city owes in 2026.
The parks operations sales tax brought in $156,343.36. Voters approved both park taxes in 2021, and they fund improvements and operations across the Mountain Home parks system.
Mountain Home set its all-time city sales tax record in 2025 at $7,156,882.24, though that year’s growth was the weakest in more than a decade at less than 1%. This year’s collections are running well ahead of that pace.
If the current rate holds through December, the city would clear both its 2026 budget and the 2025 record.
The city’s finance department is located at 720 S. Hickory Street. The treasurer’s office can be reached at 870-232-5046.
