Leaders in Brownwood are saying sales tax numbers have definitely increased compared to this time last year.

It's not just Brownwood, other cities in Brown County are sharing the benefits.

Hastings is just one spot in Brownwood where business owners are seeing the increase in people spending their money.

"Sales this year have been very good, I've notcied an increase of traffic in the store, and around town, there's a lot of people out shopping," says Ray Baslee, Store Manager.

And what's good news for retailers is good news for city leaders, but no one is popping the champagne cork just yet.

"I don't think we're ready to exhale, quite yet," says City Manager Bobby Rountree.

Brownwood showed a little over ten percent increase compared to this time last year.

"We're cautiously optimistic, we do feel like things here in Brownwood are turning around for the better, but there's still a lot of issues that have to be resolved before I really think we've turned the corner," Bobby Rountree says.

Sales tax makes up about 15 percent of the city's total budget, making it an important source of revenue for Brownwood.