Sales up for 10th straight month

Thursday, Dec. 23, 2004 | 11:02 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Taxable sales, an indicator of Nevada's economy, registered a double-digit gain in October, the 10th straight month the increases have been in the teens.

The state Department of Taxation reported today taxable sales reached $3.5 billion, a 15.7 percent jump over October 2003.

Gov. Kenny Guinn said, "Nevada's economy is showing remarkable gains." He said there is an 18.5 percent increase in sales tax collections in the first four months of this fiscal year and it is "a tribute to our efforts in economic development, job creation and tourism."

Sales in Clark County skyrocketed by 17.8 percent in October, and Washoe County recorded an 11.9 percent gain over the previous year.

The 15.7 percent increase statewide comes on top of a 10 percent gain in October 2003.

The department said the biggest increases statewide came in bars and restaurants, up 17.1 percent; auto sales, a 15.2 percent increase; miscellaneous retail, up 15.8 percent; home furniture, a 24.2 percent increase; and building materials, up 17.7 percent.

The state collected $70.4 million from its share of the sales tax in October, up 14.4 percent from a year ago. Statewide for the first four months of this fiscal year, the department said the state has collected $18.8 million more than the forecast of the Economic Forum.

Taxable sales in Clark County shot up to $2.6 billion compared with $2.2 billion in October 2003.

Sales in the bars and restaurants in Clark County registered $570.9 million, up 18.8 percent; car sales recorded $369.3 million, up 18.3 percent; clothing stores registered a 25.2 percent gain to $136.9 million; building materials jumped 21.3 percent to $178.1 million; and general merchandise stores reported $195.1 million in sales, up 12.7 percent.

Cigarette tax collections for October rose 3 percent to $8.4 million and liquor tax receipts were down 2.1 percent.

The department said sales in Douglas County rose 6.8 percent to $61.2 million; Elko inched up 1.1 percent to $64.9 million and Carson City rose 6.3 percent to $79.7 million.