Income-tax revenue in Salem rises

Special to The Vindicator

SALEM

The city’s income-tax collections are holding steady and show increases over last year.

Fred Pamer, the city’s income-tax administrator, said income-tax collections through August were up more than 6 percent over the same period last year, from $2.7 million in 2010 to $2.9 million so far this year.

Through the end of August, the city reported an increase over last year of nearly $45,000 for income- tax withholding. A little more than $2 million has been collected so far this year, compared with just more than $1.9 million during that period last year.

The same period showed that businesses paid $382,000 in income taxes this year, up nearly $23,000 from last year. Individuals this year have paid $517,000, an increase of more than $102,000 over last year, the income tax report shows.

Pamer attributed increases in withholding to wage increases or the fact that more people are working when compared with last year at this time. Business profits are up slightly, he said, explaining that rise can be attributed to normal and steady growth.