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MCALLEN, RGV - Sales tax revenue collections across the Rio Grande Valley dipped in the most recent reporting period.

However, Matt Ruszczak, who analyzes the figures, says there is no cause for alarm.

The Rio South Texas Economic Council executive director said that when comparisons between the numbers for September 2019 and the numbers for September 2018 are looked at, a caveat should be introduced: September of 2018 was a stellar month that was always going to be hard to replicate.

In the above podcast, Ruszczak also points out that there was one less Saturday in September 2019, as compared to September 2018.

\\u201cI would not call it a screeching halt. When we look at the report from September of last year, it was so stellar, stunningly stellar; double-digit growth across most of the communities. And last August was nothing to sneeze at either. It was also a good report,\\u201d Ruszczak said.

\\u201cThings have not necessarily slowed down. Things have stabilized. If you have stellar performing months, month after month after month, at some point the math will catch up with you because you are always comparing with the prior year.\\u201d

The sales tax revenues are collated each month by the Texas Comptroller\\u2019s Office. The most recent report looked at the figures for September 2019. Ruszczak analyzes the figures by comparing the percentage increases or decreases with the same month a year ago.

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.