Local government sales tax collections in New York state totaled $1.797 billion in October 2023, an increase of 2.5% compared to the same month last year, according to a report released Thursday by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.

In St. Lawrence County, sales tax revenue dropped 5.4% in October, down $0.34 million compared to October of last year. Total tax revenue collected was $5.96 million, down from $6.3 million in October 2022.

“Local sales tax collections in October experienced moderate growth,” DiNapoli said. “October’s increase marked the fourth straight month of overall growth between 2% and 4%. A return to relatively consistent year-over-year growth in sales tax collections, as was seen in the years before the pandemic, is a positive sign of stability and could help local officials better estimate this source of revenue.”

Collections in New York City totaled $809.3 million, an increase of 2.6% or $20.8 million.

County and city collections in the rest of the state totaled $987.8 million.

Livingston County experienced the strongest growth at 18.4%, while Yates County had the largest decline at 58.6%.

These monthly sales tax collections are from the cash distributions made to counties and tax-imposing cities by the state Department of Taxation and Finance, and the amounts are based on estimates of what each municipality is due. In the third month of each calendar year quarter, these distributions are adjusted upward or downward, so that the quarter as a whole reflects reported sales by vendors. The next quarterly numbers (for January to March) will be available in April.