Thursday, Feb. 24, 2005 | 10:54 a.m.
CARSON CITY -- For the 12th straight month, Nevada merchants reported a double-digit increase in taxable sales as consumers increased spending during the Christmas shopping season in December.
The state Department of Taxation reported today taxable sales, one indicator of the economy, reached $4.2 billion, a 17.4 percent increase over December of 2003. And it represents a 15.5 percent increase for the first six months of this fiscal year.
Gov. Kenny Guinn said, "The continuing double-digit sales tax growth shows how attractive our state is not only for visitors, but for businesses that continue to relocate to Nevada at a record rate."
This was also the 30th consecutive month of increased taxable sales statewide.
Guinn said, "Prospective businesses see Nevada as a place that values education while maintaining a low tax burden. Our state's commitment to fund education is clearly beginning to pay off."
The department said taxable sales in Clark County rose to $3.1 billion, up 18.7 percent from December 2003. It was also the 12th straight month of double-digit increases for Clark County.
So far this fiscal year, the state has collected $442.5 million as its share of the sales tax, an increase of $17.8 percent. The collections are $27.7 million higher than the forecast of the Economic Forum, the department said.
During December statewide, taxable sales rose by 18.6 percent in the bars and restaurants; general merchandise stores increased 11.1 percent; furniture sales jumped 13.8 percent; car sales rose 19.5 percent and apparel stores increased 14.6 percent.
But sales in food stores statewide fell by 4.7 percent compared with a year ago.
The department said auto sales and the restaurant and bar business was particularly strong in Clark County during December. Taxable auto sales rose 22.2 percent to $378.2 million, the 13th consecutive month of a double-digit increase. Business in eating and drinking places reached $532.1 million, up 20.9 percent.
Sale of building materials in Clark County produced $162.5 million in taxable sales, an increase of 28.6 percent and the eighth consecutive month of a double-digit increase. The department said wholesale trade of durable goods increased 21.3 percent to $171.2 million; general merchandise stores were up 12.6 percent to $346.6 million; clothing stores in Clark County reached $205.3 million in taxable sales, an increase of 16.3 percent, and miscellaneous retail businesses reported $386 million in sales, up 17.8 percent.
Food store sales in Clark County fell by 1.1 percent in December to $106.3 million.
The department said merchants in Washoe County produced $647.6 million in taxable sales, up 10.4 percent from a year ago in December; Douglas County sales rose 3.9 percent to $77.3 million; Elko grew 28.1 percent to $84 million; Carson City inched up 0.7 percent to $90.5 million and Nye County reported $39.7 million in taxable sales, up 26.6 percent.
The only county to record a decline was Mineral County that fell 14.1 percent to $3.4 million.
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