Despite the coronavirus, business has been good at Tallassee True Value with home improvement projects on the rise

May sales tax revenues up from year ago

By Michael Butler

It may come as a surprise that last month's sales tax dollars for the City of Tallassee are up from last year. May's numbers indicate revenues from April 1-30.

"I ran the numbers for the month of May," mayor Johnny Hammock said. "May is what your sales in April are. You get them a month in arrears. Guess what? We compared them to May of 2019 and we're up $55,538."

Stay-at-home orders might have actually aided in keeping dollars at home as citizens still purchased groceries and other essential items right here in Tallassee.

"There was a lot of uncertainty as far as the sales tax revenue which the city lives off of," Hammock added. "I think a lot of people were doing work on their houses. True Value was booming. They were going to the grocery store more. Super Foods was probably up. I'm sure Walmart was up."

Hammock also spoke about business at local restaurants being different.

"Even though the restaurants were takeout only, a lot of people go to Auburn or Montgomery to eat. I don't think they were doing that."

Now that people are starting to venture out more, will it mean that some of that commerce leaves town as well?

"They've opened those beaches up," Hammock said. "People are going back to traveling. Naturally some of their money's going to be spent in Baldwin County. There are a lot of different factors."

Super Foods in the Hampton Place Shopping Center on Gilmer Avenue