Taxable sales continue double-digit increases

October was the 10th straight month of double-digit increases in taxable sales for Nevada businesses.

Total taxable sales reported were 15.7 percent higher than the same month a year ago - $3.53 billion. That puts the state's overall increase for the first four months of this fiscal year at 14.9 percent above last year's taxable sales.

The increase was driven by a 17.8 percent increase in Clark County - a total of $2.24 billion for the month. Washoe County game through with an increase of 11.9 percent to $533.2 million. Clark is up 15.5 percent and Washoe 12.6 percent so far this year.

Carson City reported a modest 6.3 percent increase to $79.8 million. That's less than the capital's 9.6 percent in September and August's 11.3 percent increase. Carson suffered more than a year of flat or negative numbers from a combination of the recession and the departure of several major retail stores to Douglas County. Officials so far this year are hopeful that is history - which is supported by the flattening of sales tax numbers in Douglas County to 5.8 percent for October. That puts Douglas at just 9 percent so far this fiscal year after more than a year of double digit increases primarily from the businesses that moved out of Carson City.

Total taxable sales for the month in Douglas County was $61.26 million.

Four Nevada counties showed decreases in sales for October - Churchill, Eureka, Mineral and Pershing. The remaining 13 counties were all up from October 2003 sales including Storey which reported a 44.9 percent increase to $4.8 million.

The largest increases statewide were the 17.1 percent jump in sales by eating and drinking places. But auto dealers and gasoline sales taxes rose 15.2 percent.

The building boom in Nevada continued with taxable sales of building materials and hardware up 17.7 percent from the previous year.

Contact reporter Geoff Dornan at nevadaappeal@sbcglobal.net or 687-8750.

OCTOBER SALES TAX

October Percentage Fiscal year

sales increase change

State $3,535,630,795 15.7 14.9

Carson $79,798,986 6.3 7.7

Douglas $61,264,537 5.8 9.0

Lyon $30,990,076 20 21.3

Churchill $21,734,439 -8.6 7.6