“We have been pleased with the fact (that) there's more confidence in consumers to get out there and

Released today, the city's chicago vacation packages allocation for August sales totaled $19.8 million — an 8 percent increase compared to 2011. The increase continued the improvement seen with July's impressive 24 percent gain. That month delivered San Antonio its single largest year-over-year increase since 2006.
The comptroller's allocations reflect local sales tax revenues returned to the city after the state collects it. And so far in 2012, every monthly allocation has grown compared to the same month one year earlier, a trend San Antonio hasn't enjoyed in five years.
In fact, San Antonio's hotel occupancy receipts increased 7 percent between third quarter in 2011 and the second quarter in 2012 compared to the same period one year earlier, according to the comptroller's office. chicago vacation packages As more tourists opened their wallets at shops and restaurants, the city's sales tax revenues similarly rose 7 percent.
According to the Conference Board, a global business research group, consumer confidence in the West South Central region, which includes Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma, increased to 95.6 in June this year — the highest point since early 2008.
"We have been pleased with the fact (that) there's more confidence in consumers to get out there and spend money," said Maria Villagomez , the city's budget director. "The fact that we're seeing more sales tax allocations is a good sign that things are definitely better."
In August last year, the Texas A M University's Real Estate Center recorded 1,820 single-family homes sold at a median price of $153,300 in the San Antonio market. One year later, those numbers grew to 2,115 homes sold at a median price of $158,400 — a sign that more people feel confident in their ability to afford such a large purchase chicago vacation packages and the related chicago vacation packages repairs, appliance and furniture purchases.
"It's a hopping town," Roberts said. "Last summer when I moved here ... there was a lot of available inventory at low prices in the housing market and that has dried up. People need to fill those houses."
Moreover, he speculated even long-time San Antonians felt comfortable spending more money if they took advantage of low interest rates and refinanced their mortgages, "which gives them $100 to $200 more in the pocket each month."
"There's certainly a stronger energy level (and) less pressure on getting a value," Markwardt said. "We're selling the same collections and haven't lowered our quality, but there is less pressure from people demanding extra discounts (which) we saw a lot these last several years."
Roberts and Nivin said San Antonio's tax rolls benefit from drilling companies building headquarters in town while their workers spend their income on more expensive goods and permanent or temporary housing in the city.
[...] San Antonio's hotel occupancy receipts increased 7 percent between third quarter in 2011 and the second quarter in 2012 compared to the same period one year earlier, according to the comptroller's office.