State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli says statewide sales tax revenues are slowing down this year, posing a possible revenue problem for state and county governments.
His report says local sales tax collections grew by only 1.7 percent in the first half of 2016. That’s less than expected and shows economic growth slowing from 2.6 percent in the first quarter to less than one percent in the second quarter. DiNapoli says he’s not worried, because the historical trend is for sales tax revenue to pick up in the fall and winter.
The Finger Lakes region had the second-highest sales tax growth rate in the state, actually beating New York City.