Sales taxes flat in February

Statewide taxable sales were essentially flat in February, coming in a tenth of a percent below the same month of 2001, a total of $2.35 billion

The largest increases were reported by auto dealers and gasoline sales, and the automotive repair and services categories. Since those are two of Carson City's largest categories, that explains why the capital defied the statewide trend with a 9.4 percent increase to $63.7 million.

In Carson City, auto dealers and gasoline sales were up 17 percent to more than $19 million. Repair and services figures were up nearly 31 percent to $1.4 million for February.

The surrounding counties, however, didn't fare nearly as well. Lyon, Storey and Douglas all reported less in total taxable sales this February compared with the same month a year ago.

Storey was off a whopping 44.5 percent to $1.88 million for the month. The primary culprits were construction categories. Building construction reported no taxable sales while special trades categories dropped 76.6 percent and heavy construction by 99 percent to just $666. And building materials sales were off by 64 percent.

In Douglas, a 7.6 percent increase in eating and drinking places to $12.9 million -- primarily Stateline casinos -- was more than offset by drops in wholesale trade and retail categories. Auto dealers and gasoline sales were down by 16.5 percent, and communications, a category which fluctuates greatly depending on specific contracts and one-time purchases , dropped from more than $2 million to $83,241. When the taxable sales were totaled, Douglas numbers for the month dropped 6.2 percent to $37.5 million.

In Lyon County, a 61 percent increase in building materials sales to $2.8 million was more than offset by drops in sales by food stores, auto dealers, eating and drinking and retail categories. Total taxable sales for the month fell 7.6 percent to $16.6 million.

Washoe County was relatively flat for the month, reporting an increase of 1.6 percent to $375.5 million while total sales in Clark rose just three tenths of a percent to $1.7 billion.

Taxation Director Dave Pursell said taxable sales are now up just a half percent for the first eight months of fiscal 2002. That is more than $20 million behind projections used to build the state budget.