San Antonio’s local sales-tax receipts took a noticeable step back in April, landing nearly 7% below April 2025 and leaving the city with about $43 million for the month. The drop stands out even as other big Texas metros turned in mixed results, a reminder of how quickly a city’s revenue picture can shift. These figures reflect spending that happened in April but was processed on the state’s schedule, so what City Hall sees now is already a bit in the rearview mirror.
As reported by Texas Public Radio, the city’s April allocation was nearly 7% below the same month last year, totaling roughly $43 million. A review of the Comptroller’s city-by-city tables showed Dallas down about 6%, Houston up roughly 4%, and Austin leading the large metros with about a 9% increase. The station also noted that the state collects city sales taxes and then returns them on a set schedule, so April taxes were actually collected in May and reported out in June.
Statewide picture and sector shifts
According to the Texas Comptroller, the monthly revenue report tied to April spending told a different story at the state level, with $4.5 billion in May receipts and a 6.6% year-over-year gain. The Comptroller reported broad but uneven growth: manufacturing and construction were up more than 15%, retail receipts rose about 3%, and restaurant receipts climbed roughly 4% above inflation. At the same time, the agency’s May report showed motor vehicle sales and rental taxes down about 13%, which trimmed some local allocations.
Why the number matters for the city budget
San Antonio leans heavily on sales-tax revenue to keep basic services running. The City’s FY2026 proposed budget projects that city sales tax will provide about a quarter of the General Fund, roughly $419 million. A monthly dip like April’s can complicate short-term cash flow and budget planning, even though the city also relies on CPS Energy receipts and property taxes to help steady the bottom line.
City officials and local business groups will be watching the next few allocation cycles to see whether April’s decline was a one-off wobble or the start of a more serious trend. For the official city-by-city tables and the Comptroller’s monthly revenue summaries, see the Texas Comptroller’s Monthly Sales Tax Allocation Comparison Summary Reports.
