Nevada taxable sales down in February

Wednesday, April 17, 2002 | 11:15 a.m.

SUN CAPITAL BUREAU

CARSON CITY -- For the second time in three months, taxable sales in Nevada declined from the previous year as the state's economy continues recovering from the recession and the September terrorism, the state Department of Taxation reported today.

The agency said taxable sales, one indicator of the economy, totaled $2.3 billion, a 0.1 percent decline from February of last year.

Despite a 12.4 percent gain in auto sales, reduced business was recorded in wholesale trade of durable goods, which was off 5.3 percent; food stores, down 1.3 percent; the clothing business, off 2.4 percent; and home furniture sales down 3.2 percent.

Statewide the department said business in bars and restaurants inched up 0.6 percent from a year ago.

Sales in Clark County rose 0.3 percent to $1.727 billion in February. But the eating and drinking business was down 0.6 percent. Car sales in Southern Nevada jumped 12.7 percent.

Business in Washoe County rose 1.6 percent to $375.5 million and 9.4 percent in Carson City to $63.6 million. It fell 6.2 percent in Douglas County to $37.4 million and 5.1 percent in Elko County to $51.9 million.

Collections from sales and use taxes reached $172.4 million, up 2 percent for the month-to-month comparison. So far this fiscal year, receipts from the sales and use tax are up 1.9 percent, far below the 6.1 percent predicted by the Economic Forum estimates, on which the state budget is built.

While general business continued in a slump, casinos reported earlier this month their business jumped 7.7 percent in February.

Taxable sales declined in December by 4.5 percent and then inched up 0.4 percent in January.