Nevada taxable sales again increase

Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2004 | 11:01 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- For the eighth straight month, taxable sales in Nevada, one indicator of the economy, posted a double-digit increase in August.

The state Department of Taxation reported today taxable sales reached $3.4 billion, an 11.8 percent increase over the same month of a year ago.

Gov. Kenny Guinn said, "Our continued double-digit sales tax increases are the result of low unemployment and the fastest job creation rate in the nation."

"Nevada's economy remains strong when you combine these factors with our ongoing population growth and our favorable business climate," the governor said.

The department said taxable sales in Clark County rose 10.4 percent to $2.5 billion in August. It was the seventh straight month of a double-digit increase for Clark County business.

Statewide, the largest increases were posted in sale of home furniture, up 42.6 percent; building materials rose 37.1 percent; wholesale trade in durable goods jumped 33.4 percent; auto sales rose 10.4 percent and miscellaneous retail increased 9.8 percent.

The state, on its 2 percent of sales tax collections, received $71.2 million in revenue in August, up 13.9 percent. For the first two months of this fiscal year, the sales tax has yielded $142.2 million for the state, up 16.2 percent.

The sale of building materials in Clark County was particularly strong. The department reported $175.8 million in sales, up 40.1 percent, signaling the strong construction activity in Southern Nevada.

This was the fourth straight month that the sale of building materials has increased by more than 29 percent in Clark County.

The report said car sales in Clark County reached $189 million, an increase of 12.2 percent -- the ninth straight month for a double-digit increase in this category.

Wholesale trade in durable goods in Clark County rose 34.8 percent to $149.8 million; general merchandise stores increased 10.2 percent to $193.9 million; home furniture rose 37.9 percent to $169.5 million and bars and restaurant businesses posted $486.8 million, up to 2.8 percent.

The department said taxable sales in Washoe County rose 14 percent to $575.7 million; Douglas County was up 10.5 percent to $69.5 million; Carson City recorded $84.2 million in taxable sales, up 11.3 percent; Elko County posted $71.5 million, an increase of 14.7 percent.

Only three counties -- Lincoln, Mineral and Pershing -- posted lower taxable sales in August.

The department said the state collected $10.9 million from the cigarette tax, an increase of 146.9 percent from a year ago. This reflects the 45 cent per pack increase in the tax approved by the 2003 Legislature.

Collection from the liquor tax hit $2.9 million, up 20.5 percent for the month compared with a year ago.