Sales tax down for June, fiscal year

Douglas County's taxable sales for the 2008-09 fiscal year closed out at 15.5 percent down from the previous year.

Douglas businesses took in $584.67 million for the year, a more than $106 million decrease over the previousl fiscal year.

According to the Nevada Department of taxation, Douglas sales for June, the last month of the fiscal year, was $48.1 million, down 16.9 percent from the same month in 2008.

Statewide, June also closed out the 2009 fiscal year at just over $42 billion in sales - a 12.7 percent drop from fiscal 2007-08.

Gross revenue collections for sales taxes finished the year $13.5 million below the May Economic Forum's projections and nearly 13 percent below collections during fiscal 2008.

Western Nevada was down as well, with Carson City reporting a 16 percent drop for the month and Douglas 16.9 percent.

For the fiscal year just ended, Carson City taxable sales were down 17.2 percent.

Washoe and Clark counties were the primary drivers behind the statewide 20.5 percent slump. Washoe was down 19.4 percent for June and 16.4 percent for the year. Clark reported June sales 21.7 percent off and, for the year, 12.7 percent below fiscal 2008.

Overall, Storey County took the hardest hit for the year, reporting $59.6 million in taxable sales for the fiscal year. That is half what it reported the previous year.