We've collected less, but then the tax rate is lower.  According to Wilkes Finance Director Jerry Shepherd, so far for the year- Wilkes County has collected $36,000 less than we did last year.  At this week's County Commissioners' meeting, Shepherd reminded everyone that the thing to keep in mind is the lowered the tax rate from .69 to .67, so naturally the County will collect less tax this year than last year.  The tax collections were about $2.9 million short for the month of September – but in August, the collections were about $2.9 million more than in August of last year.  So for all 3 months of the current fiscal year added together, the County has collected only $36,000 less than this same time last year.