Taxable sales up 10.4 percent in Nevada for May

By Cy Ryan

Friday, July 27, 2012 | 4:11 p.m.

CARSON CITY — Strong car sales and good business in bars and restaurants in May resulted in a 10 percent increase in taxable sales in Clark County.

The Nevada Department of Taxation reported Friday that taxable sales reached $2.7 billion in Clark County in May compared to $2.4 billion the same month a year ago.

It is the 13th consecutive month taxable sales have increased in Clark County.

Statewide, taxable sales, one indicator of the strength of the economy, hit $3.7 billion, an increase of 10.4 percent over the same month last year.

Lincoln County — down 18.1 percent — and Lyon County — off 0.4 percent — were the only areas to experience declines.

Auto sales rose 21 percent in Clark County, and bar and restaurant business was up 8.5 percent from a year ago, the agency reported. The sale of building materials, which fell 19.4 percent in April, rebounded with an increase of 15.2 percent in May compared to the same month a year ago.

General merchandise sales in Clark County rose 4.7 percent, clothing was up 8.7 percent and furniture was up 1.6 percent.

Taxable sales in some rural counties showed big gains due to the purchase of construction materials, electrical items and appliances.

Sales jumped 136.4 percent in Lander County and 41.9 percent in Eureka County. Esmeralda County registered a 26.8 percent increase in taxable sales, and sales in White Pine County rose by 22 percent.

Collections from the sales tax for the fiscal year through May are 4.7 percent, or $34.5 million, above the forecast of the Economic Forum upon which the state budget is based.

Collections from the state’s liquor tax are 2 percent, or $799,200, above the prediction of the Economic Forum. Collections from the live entertainment tax are 6.7 percent higher than projections for this fiscal year to date, but cigarette taxes are down 0.7 percent.