Clark County posts best month in a year for taxable sales

Thursday, Sept. 26, 2002 | 11:10 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Clark County merchants, spurred by the purchase of new cars, posted their best month in nearly a year in taxable sales in July.

The state Taxation Department reported Wednesday that taxable sales statewide reached $2.6 billion, an increase of 1.8 percent over July 2001.

Collections in Clark County rose to $1.9 billion in the month, up 3 percent, the biggest percentage gain since July 2001.

Auto sales in Southern Nevada jumped 15.5 percent, the biggest increase since January when dealers registered a 19.6 percent gain. For the second consecutive month, business in bars and restaurants inched up 1.8 percent.

General merchandise stores reported a 6.8 percent increase; clothing stores rose 5 percent and home furniture increase by 6.8 percent in Clark County.

But sales in food stores slumped 12 percent and building materials sales were off 4.6 percent in Southern Nevada.

Gov. Kenny Guinn, who was in the hospital in Los Angeles Wednesday, said in a statement that the statewide jump of 1.8 percent is compared to a 7 percent gain in the same month of a year ago. "Although the increase of almost 2 percent in taxable sales for July provides reason for optimism, the fact remains that we need an overall increase of 10 percent for the year to reach the Economic Forum's Forecast."

The state's budget is built on the estimates of the Economic Forum, which predicted an increase of 5.8 percent in sales tax this year.

Business statewide in auto sales rose 10.2 percent, but bar and restaurant sales were off by 0.7 percent. Food stores dropped 11.5 percent and miscellaneous retail sales fell by 3.3 percent. Taxable sales in apparel and accessory stores rose 4.8 percent.

Washoe County posted its third straight month of negative growth in July. Taxable sales fell 2.9 percent to $448.4 million. Carson City's taxable business grew 3.4 percent to $76.6 million; Douglas County was up 9.9 percent to $55.6 million but Elko County declined 4.2 percent to $59.1 million.