A surge in Montgomery County’s use tax collections in September has pushed the county’s 2026 total well past what it collected during all of 2025, with three months still remaining in the year.

The county collected $2,238,076 in use tax in September, compared with $133,609 in August and $66,328 in September 2025. The September total represents a 1,575 percent increase from August and a 3,275 percent jump from the same month last year.

Through September, Montgomery County collected $2,901,611 in use tax, compared with $754,209.29 during all of 2025.

The county also has collected $3,088,306 in sales tax through September, putting it within about $163,000 of the $3.25 million collected during all of 2025.

County officials attribute much of the increase to the ongoing construction of Google and Amazon data centers near the Interstate 70/Highway 19 interchange outside New Florence.

1st District Commissioner Dave Teeter said the projects have brought a significant number of workers into the county, with A surge in Montgomery County’s use tax collections in September has pushed the county’s 2026 total well past what it collected during all of 2025, with three months still remaining in the year.

The county collected $2,238,076 in use tax in September, compared with $133,609 in August and $66,328 in September 2025. The September total represents a 1,575 percent increase from August and a 3,275 percent jump from the same month last year.

Through September, Montgomery County collected $2,901,611 in use tax, compared with $754,209.29 during all of 2025.

The county also has collected $3,088,306 in sales tax through September, putting it within about $163,000 of the $3.25 million collected during all of 2025.

County officials attribute much of the increase to the ongoing construction of Google and Amazon data centers near the Interstate 70/Highway 19 interchange outside New Florence.

1st District Commissioner Dave Teeter said the projects have brought a significant number of workers into the county, with both workers and contractors spending money at local businesses.

“The employees who are living there are spending money,” Teeter said. “There’s a significant number of people who are now living in the county. The ones who aren’t living here are spending money here, even if they live in Warren County or other places where they can find housing.”

Teeter said the influx of workers is noticeable at area businesses.

“You can walk up to Papa B’s (Wing Shack in Montgomery City) and see 15-20 people wearing construction clothes,” he said. “You can see people at the gas stations filling up their vehicles. They’re spending money here.”

The effect of the construction boom also is being felt by local businesses.
Rocky Morrissey, manager of LaCrosse Lumber in Montgomery City, said his business has seen sales increase about 10 percent as companies working on the data-center projects have begun purchasing materials locally.

“We had an increase of people coming in because there are a few different companies that start to shop with us and come in and pay,” Morrissey said. “So we probably had a half a dozen different companies or so from the data center buy stuff from us.”

Presiding Commissioner Ryan Poston said data center development can benefit communities financially.

“I think there’s a study out there where a car in the street comes in, it is a one to three multiplier,” Poston said. “For every dollar they spend, it gets multiplied three times by the stuff coming in. Data centers are like one to nine. Every dollar they spend, it gets multiplied nine times.”

The September use-tax collection was $2,171,748 higher than the September 2025 total. It also marked the third consecutive month in which the county’s use-tax collections increased.

The county collected $51,867 in use tax in June, down about $9,000 from May. Collections increased to $99,570 in July and $133,609 in August before the September surge.

A use tax generally applies to taxable goods purchased from outside Missouri for use, storage or consumption in Missouri when Missouri sales tax was not collected at the time of purchase. For the county, the tax can be particularly significant when large purchases are made by businesses or contractors from out-of-state vendors.

Montgomery County collected $754,209.29 in use tax during 2025, an increase of $29,504.60 from 2024. The county had projected approximately $800,000 in use-tax revenue in its 2026 budget presented in January, officials said.

With three months remaining in 2026, the county already has collected more than $2.9 million in use tax.

Sales tax collections also are on pace to exceed last year’s total.
The county collected $3,251,130.49 in sales tax in 2025, a decrease of $145,567.79 from 2024. Sales tax collections had increased for five consecutive years before declining in 2025.

Sales-tax collections have increased during each of the last three months. The county collected $293,622 in June, down about $19,000 from May, before collections increased to $372,258 in July and $467,060 in August.

With $3.09 million collected through September, the county needs to collect about $163,000 during the final three months of the year to surpass its 2025 sales tax total.oth workers and contractors spending money at local businesses.

“The employees who are living there are spending money,” Teeter said. “There’s a significant number of people who are now living in the county. The ones who aren’t living here are spending money here, even if they live in Warren County or other places where they can find housing.”

Teeter said the influx of workers is noticeable at area businesses.

“You can walk up to Papa B’s (Wing Shack in Montgomery City) and see 15-20 people wearing construction clothes,” he said. “You can see people at the gas stations filling up their vehicles. They’re spending money here.”

The effect of the construction boom also is being felt by local businesses.
Rocky Morrissey, manager of LaCrosse Lumber in Montgomery City, said his business has seen sales increase about 10 percent as companies working on the data-center projects have begun purchasing materials locally.

“We had an increase of people coming in because there are a few different companies that start to shop with us and come in and pay,” Morrissey said. “So we probably had a half a dozen different companies or so from the data center buy stuff from us.”

Presiding Commissioner Ryan Poston said data center development can benefit communities financially.

“I think there’s a study out there where a car in the street comes in, it is a one to three multiplier,” Poston said. “For every dollar they spend, it gets multiplied three times by the stuff coming in. Data centers are like one to nine. Every dollar they spend, it gets multiplied nine times.”

The September use-tax collection was $2,171,748 higher than the September 2025 total. It also marked the third consecutive month in which the county’s use-tax collections increased.

The county collected $51,867 in use tax in June, down about $9,000 from May. Collections increased to $99,570 in July and $133,609 in August before the September surge.

A use tax generally applies to taxable goods purchased from outside Missouri for use, storage or consumption in Missouri when Missouri sales tax was not collected at the time of purchase. For the county, the tax can be particularly significant when large purchases are made by businesses or contractors from out-of-state vendors.

Montgomery County collected $754,209.29 in use tax during 2025, an increase of $29,504.60 from 2024. The county had projected approximately $800,000 in use-tax revenue in its 2026 budget presented in January, officials said.

With three months remaining in 2026, the county already has collected more than $2.9 million in use tax.

Sales tax collections also are on pace to exceed last year’s total.
The county collected $3,251,130.49 in sales tax in 2025, a decrease of $145,567.79 from 2024. Sales tax collections had increased for five consecutive years before declining in 2025.

Sales-tax collections have increased during each of the last three months. The county collected $293,622 in June, down about $19,000 from May, before collections increased to $372,258 in July and $467,060 in August.

With $3.09 million collected through September, the county needs to collect about $163,000 during the final three months of the year to surpass its 2025 sales tax total.