NORWICH – Officials in Chenango County and the City of Norwich are welcoming a 9 percent uptick in sales tax collections in the first half of 2018 – news that they say is good for taxpayers.

A new report from the NYS Comptroller's Office shows sales tax collections across New York have grown 6 percent in the first six months of 2018. In Chenango County, collections totaled nearly $12.1 million through June compared to the $11.07 million during the same period last year.

More than $824,000 was collected in the City of Norwich alone. That's roughly $90,000 more than the first half of 2017.

Aside from the City of Gloversville (which saw 33.2 percent growth credited to a large one-time purchase made by a local business), the City of Norwich saw the strongest growth among cities at 12.7 percent.

“It’s difficult to figure out what makes sales tax go up,” said Dee DuFour, finance director for the City of Norwich. “It could be more business in the area, or it could be that the last couple years have just been slower for us.”