Deed Excise receipts for FY13

Yesterday's Globe reported that tax collections in Massachusetts have been lower than projected in recent months, prompting state government to contemplate emergency budget cuts.  After reading this, I looked at the receipts here at the Middlesex North Registry of Deeds for deed excise tax collections thus far in FY13 (i.e., since July 2012).  The deed excise tax is assessed at a rate of $2.28 per $500 of sales price for real estate sold within this registry district.  The seller is obliged to pay the tax which is collected at the time the deed transferring ownership is recorded at the registry of deeds.  Here's a month-by-month comparison of the money we have taken in for deeds excise since July 1, 2012, compared to the same month in 2011:

In July 2012, we collected $709,410 in deeds excise tax, an increase of 29% from the $551,057 collected in July 2011;

In August 2012, we collected $571,650, a 6% increase from the $539,080 in August 2011;

In September 2012, we collected $580,770, a 5% decrease from the $610,732 collected in September 2011;

In October 2012, we collected $429,410, a 28% increase from the $335,458 collected in October 2011.