Douglas taxable sales drop 6.8 percent

Douglas County merchants posted a 6.8 percent decline in April compared to the previous year. According to the Nevada Department of Taxation, county merchants brought in $38.9 million during the month, less than the $41.79 million from April of last year.

The county also showed a decrease over March 2010, when merchants brought in $43.15 million and posted a gain over the same month in 2009.

The county's largest single category, food services and drinking places, showed a 4.3 percent decrease, with $7.62 million collected during the month. The category accounts for slightly more than a fifth of total tax revenue collected in the county. General merchandise stores, which account for about 15 percent of the taxes collected in the county, saw a 5.4 percent decrease. Building materials, which are 10 percent of the taxable sales, saw a 22.5 percent decrease.

In comparison, in April 2005, Douglas merchants collected $60.7 million.