SouthStar Wins the MUSE Design Award for Marlin Bay in the Florida Keys

10.22.2020

New Braunfels’ sales tax soars - City’s gross sales tax for fiscal year climbed almost $2 million

11.15.2019

As printed in the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, November 15, 2019

It was a good year for sales in the city of New Braunfels.

City staff announced earlier this week that with the September figures in, they could put together a picture of fiscal year 2018-19 to compare with fiscal year 2017-18.

“With the release of the September figures, we are able to report that gross sales tax collections for FY 2018-19 (October-September) has increased by approximately $1.9 million or 6.02% in comparison to the previous fiscal year,” said Jared Werner, chief financial officer for the city. “Staff is pleased with the sales tax performance this fiscal year, especially the final quarter of FY 2018-19, which is impacted heavily by tourism activities within our community.”

Sales tax figures come in from the comptroller’s office approximately six weeks after the end of each month, Werner said.

The city was waiting for September numbers to come in to be able to compare the year over year figures.

“So now we have that final month we can report on the year,” Werner said. “Gross sales tax was $33.3 million in FY 2018-19, and so it grew by about 6% over last fiscal year.”

The 6.02% is actually slightly higher than city projections, Werner said.

“If I had to categorize it, it’s been a roller coaster year as it relates to sales tax activity,” Werner said. “At the beginning of year we had about five months that were straight double digit increases year over year — and then we realized there was a large sales tax producing company just outside of city limits that was paying city taxes, so the comptroller had to remove those and adjust the following months reports to account for the correction.”

While the adjustments made by the comptroller’s office resulted in several months of sales tax collections that were actually lower in comparison to the previous year’s, the summer months rebounded nicely, Werner said.

“Summer months represent the highest revenue generating months of the year,” Werner said. “We were specifically pleased to see the figures for the month of July — about $3.3 million just for that one month, the highest on record for New Braunfels.”

August saw a 3.4% increase year over year and September saw a 5.4% increase, so it was a solid end to the fiscal year, Werner said.

“We were happy to see those months impacted by summer continue to grow,” Werner said.

Collected sales taxes go into the city’s general fund, helping support city services such as police, fire and public works as well as the 4B Board, which supports economic and quality of life investments.

“Sales tax revenue is the largest source of revenue in the general fund,” Werner said. According to the state of the city earlier this year, sales tax makes ups 32% of the city’s general fund.

That means about $21.97 million of the city’s budgeted expenditures of $68.65 million for fiscal year 2018-19 comes from sales tax. The total sales tax and use tax for the city is 8.25%, of which the city receives about 1.5%.

City staff is projecting conservative sales tax revenue growth in fiscal year 2019-20. For more information about city taxes, visit https://www.nbtexas.org/538/Tax-Information.

SouthStar Communities Donates Fourth Site for Veteran Home in Vintage Oaks

01.30.2015

Smart Home Breaks Ground with HEB and Operation FINALLY HOME

(January 29, 2015—NEW BRAUNFELS) SouthStar Communities, Operation FINALLY HOME and HEB broke ground today on a one-of-a-kind, custom-built, mortgage-free Smart Home for U.S. Army Specialist Michael Crawford in the developer’s Vintage Oaks neighborhood. The 23-year-old veteran was wounded in 2011 while serving in Afghanistan when an improvised explosive device (IED) struck the truck he was in during combat. Crawford’s injuries left him paralyzed completely in his right leg and with minimal movement in his left leg.

“We are honored to have Specialist Crawford as a resident in Vintage Oaks and we thank him for his sacrificial service to our country,” said Thad Rutherford, Chief Operation Officer of SouthStar Communities, the developer of Vintage Oaks. “This is the fourth Operation FINALLY HOME veteran home in Vintage Oaks and we can’t wait to have another hero as a neighbor in our community.”

Vintage Oaks Tops Q3 Housing Starts in San Antonio Market for Second Year in a Row

10.31.2014

Hill Country Real Estate Continues Explosive Growth

(October 31, 2014—NEW BRAUNFELS, TX) Austin-based SouthStar Communities announced today that Vintage Oaks, one of its signature Hill Country communities, once again led the San Antonio market for new housing starts in the $300s. According to MetroStudy, a national housing market research firm, Vintage Oaks reported 22 new home starts in Q3 and 75 home starts year to date, already 20 percent ahead of its record-setting 2013 numbers. The development also ranked number one in Comal County for home starts in the $300s and reported 155 new homesite sales year to date.

Vintage Oaks welcomes residents home to Hill Country peace and beauty - as printed in San Antonio Express-News

09.18.2014

New Braunfels’ Vintage Oaks attracts people from across the country – many of them age 50 and older – longing for the quiet beauty of the Hill Country, yet still wanting top amenities, plenty of space and the convenience of nearby cities.

Lake Ridge Receives 2014 Premier Neighborhood Award from City of Cedar Hill

07.14.2014

Members of the Cedar Hill City Council and Code Services award Lake Ridge the 2014 Premier Neighborhood.

(July 14, 2014-- CEDAR HILL) SouthStar Communities announced today that the City of Cedar Hill has named Lake Ridge its 2014 Premier Neighborhood. The honor was given at last week's city council meeting.

SouthStar Communities Largest Producer of Land Loans for Texas Veteran Land Board

03.10.2014

Veterans can purchase land for 5% down

Vintage Oaks Community in New Braunfels Announces Record Sales

10.24.2013

Recognized as fastest growing community in the San Antonio/New Braunfels area

(October 24, 2013-- AUSTIN, TX) Austin-based SouthStar Communities announced today that Vintage Oaks in New Braunfels has continued its record setting pace for 2013 with another banner quarter. Vintage Oaks third quarter sales were tripled over the same time period in 2011 and 2012 and over 100 homesites have been sold year to date. Twenty percent of 2013 sales came from owner referrals, an extremely high percentage for the housing industry.

Wounded Veteran Surprised with New Mortgage-free Home in Dallas

09.13.2013

Operation FINALLY HOME, Former NFL Players Association, Dallas Home Builders Association, SouthStar Communities and Victory Custom Homes make home possible

SouthStar Communities Announces Team to Build Home for Wounded Veteran

09.5.2013

Operation FINALLY HOME, Former NFL Players Association, Dallas Home Builders Association and Victory Custom Homes join developer to break ground on project in Dallas community The Sanctuary at Lake Ridge

IN THE NEWS

SouthStar Wins the MUSE Design Award for Marlin Bay in the Florida Keys

New Braunfels’ sales tax soars - City’s gross sales tax for fiscal year climbed almost $2 million

SouthStar Communities Donates Fourth Site for Veteran Home in Vintage Oaks

Vintage Oaks Tops Q3 Housing Starts in San Antonio Market for Second Year in a Row

Vintage Oaks welcomes residents home to Hill Country peace and beauty - as printed in San Antonio Express-News

Lake Ridge Receives 2014 Premier Neighborhood Award from City of Cedar Hill

SouthStar Communities Largest Producer of Land Loans for Texas Veteran Land Board

Vintage Oaks Community in New Braunfels Announces Record Sales

Wounded Veteran Surprised with New Mortgage-free Home in Dallas

SouthStar Communities Announces Team to Build Home for Wounded Veteran

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