Nevada retail sales rose 5.3 percent in December

Thursday, Feb. 24, 2000 | 10:41 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Strong sales of cars and brisk business in restaurants and bars helped push Nevada's taxable sales during the December shopping season to $2.8 billion, up 5.3 percent from a year earlier.

The state Department of Taxation on Wednesday reported, however, there was a slowdown in building activity and sales of clothing were off during the month.

Department Director Dave Pursell said business activity was not as high as expected for the month. He speculated it may have been down due to the Y2K scare, with people staying at home instead of going out. And the resort building spree has tapered off, he said.

This could be the start of a leveling off of the economy in Southern Nevada, Pursell said. He said he couldn't explain why clothing sales slumped, as the furniture business was up 10 percent.

Taxable sales in Clark County rose to $2 billion, up 5.4 percent. Washoe County reported sales of $498.3 million, an increase of 6.4 percent. It was the first time in 1999 that Washoe County posted a higher percentage gain than Clark County in the month-to-month comparisons.

Business statewide in eating and drinking places produced $404.7 million in taxable sales, a 6.3 percent increase. Car sales rose 8.7 percent, on $295.6 million in sales.

The department said general merchandise stores enjoyed a 13.2 percent increase in business; miscellaneous retail sales were up 12.4 percent and durable goods rose by 17.8 percent.

But apparel stores reported sales off by 5.2 percent and the sale of building materials dropped 1.5 percent from December 1998.

In Clark County, car sales were up 6.9 percent; bar and restaurant business rose 6.8 percent and general merchandise stores posted a 17.8 percent gain. But sales were down 6.6 percent in apparel stores and the building materials business off 2.5 percent from a year ago.

Taxable sales increased in Elko County by 12.5 percent; 3.3 percent in Carson City and 16 percent in Douglas County. They were down in White Pine County by 37.7 percent; Mineral County, 14.7 percent; and Esmeralda County, 23.2 percent.

For the fiscal year, the department reported taxable sales have reached $14.9 billion, up 6.5 percent for the same period of 1998. Clark County merchants reported $10.4 billion or a 7.3 percent gain for the six-month period. Washoe County posted a 5.4 percent increase to $2.5 billion for the first half of the fiscal year.

The agency said collections from the sales and use taxes for the first six months of the fiscal year totaled $207.5 million, an increase of 10.6 percent. The money is divided between the state, local government and the schools.

Receipts from the business tax reached $35.6 million, up 6.2 percent for the first six months of the fiscal year. This revenue goes to the state.