Clark County taxable sales jump 12.4%

Friday, Oct. 24, 2003 | 11:07 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Clark County merchants posted $2.2 billion in taxable sales in August, a jump of 12.4 percent from a year ago and the 14th consecutive month of increases. The biggest gains in Clark County were in sales of building materials, up 17 percent; clothing stores 16.6 percent and home furniture 12.4 percent. The state Tax Department reported Thursday that taxable sales statewide reached $3 billion, up 10.3 percent in August.

That number was driven by $74 million paid for a "very large piece of new equipment going into a new or existing power plant" in Clark County, said Department Director Chuck Chinnock. Without that major purchase, the increase would have been 7.6 percent compared to August 2002, the department said.

The taxable sales produced $223 million in tax collections in August, up 9 percent. The department said that without that one-time sales event, the increase would have been 7.6 percent.

Of the sales tax, $62.4 million comes to the state with the rest divided between local governments and school districts.

Gov. Kenny Guinn said two months of positive gains shows Nevada's economy is strengthening. But he issued his usual note of caution. "While I am hopeful that this trend continues throughout the fiscal year, this latest collection data should be kept in perspective."

He said seven of the 17 counties posted decreases while five showed double-digit increases.

The department reported the cigarette tax yielded $4.4 million for state government, an increase of 13.7 percent. That's due to the increase of 45 cents per pack in taxes.

The agency said the sale of wholesale trade durable goods in Clark County rose to $110.7 million, up 10.5 percent; general merchandise stores posted $178.3 million, up 9.5 percent; auto sales rose 7.2 percent to $343.9 million and restaurant and bar sales improved 7.4 percent to $463.7 million.

Sales in Clark County apparel stores registered $114.7 million; the home furniture business rose to $121.6 million and building materials sales jumped to $124.6 million.

Businesses in Washoe County registered $498.1 billion, up 6.8 percent. It was the tenth consecutive month of higher taxable sales in Washoe County. But it is compared to August 2002 when sales were off 1.4 percent.

Statewide, the department said taxable sales in wholesale trade of durable goods rose 10.8 percent; building materials were up 9.9 percent; general merchandise stores registered a 10.3 percent gain; auto dealers posted a 7.2 percent increase; clothing stores registered an a 14.5 percent increase; home furniture was up 11.4 percent and eating and drinking places posted a 6.3 percent gain.

The department said taxable sales in Carson City dropped 4.4 percent to $75 million; Douglas County posted a 4.2 percent gain to $62 million; Elko County dipped slightly by 0.1 percent to $61.2 million and Nye County rose 10.3 percent to $26.6 million.