Coronavirus in Texas: Comptroller expected to release sales tax figures showing “unprecedented” drop in revenues
Friday’s biggest developments:
- Sales tax revenues expected to be released later today
Comptroller expected to release latest sales tax revenue figures — and says their drop is “unprecedented”
[5 a.m.] Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar said on a Thursday call with the Texas GOP that his office will release on Friday state sales tax revenues for the past month. Hegar said his office would have normally held off on releasing the total until next week, but, as he noted on the call, “they are unprecedented numbers — how quick they have gone down.”
The numbers are expected the same day that businesses begin reopening under Gov. Greg Abbott‘s plan to slowly revive the state’s economy, which has taken a beating from efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Still, some experts say that businesses may have a hard time making a profit under officials’ new guidelines — and that many Texans still don’t feel safe enough to venture out for unnecessary trips. Texas recorded 50 deaths from the new coronavirus Thursday, the highest one-day total since the pandemic began. The state also reported 1,033 new cases Thursday — the third-highest increase since the state began reporting coronavirus case counts. — Cassi Pollock
More than 28,000 Texans have contracted the coronavirus
[5 a.m.] Texas officials later Friday are expected to release the latest number of coronavirus in the state. As of Thursday, at least 28,087 people have tested positive and 782 have died. See maps of the latest case numbers for each county and case rates per 1,000 residents.
Disclosure: The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.
