VON ORMY, Texas – As the saying goes, the only things certain in life are death and taxes. For those who live in Von Ormy, the latter part of the phrase may not be so bad.
Most cities use property taxes to fund its municipal government, however, Von Ormy uses its sales tax.
It's been five years since that decision was made and the city's sales tax revenue has increased every year since 2008.
It was up 60 percent during April compared to the same month a year ago.
The city says 98 percent of the sales tax comes from non-residents, which city leaders attribute to the Eagle Ford Shale and the city's location.
Von Ormy Mayor Art Martinez de Vara helped make the decision when Bexar County leaders we're figuring out how best to fund the fledgling city.
"We said we're going to do this differently. We're going to focus on sales tax," said Martinez de Vara. "We lie on I-35 and Loop 1604. It's a great asset to have."
The increased sales tax revenue has allowed the city to cross several items off its to-do list.
A new municipal building that will house the police and fire departments will be built along with a city park and new school.
"It's going to give us a place to hold court, as well as Marshall's office is going to be held there," said Isaac Gerami, Von Ormy City Marshal.
With that growth comes new challenges. The city still doesn't have it's own sewer system.
But if the numbers continue to trend up, they will certainly have the money to pay for it.