Nevada taxable sales inch up in December

By Cy Ryan

Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2014 | 10:20 p.m.

Christmas sales in Nevada in December inched up to $4.4 billion, an anemic 1.7 percent increase over the same month in 2012.

Ten of the 17 counties reported a decrease in taxable sales for the month, the state Taxation Department reported Wednesday.

The 1.7 percent increase was the lowest rise since June 2013, when it was a 1.2 percent gain. But there were strong increases in Washoe County, up 13.1 percent, and Carson City, an increase of 4.6 percent.

Clark County merchants reported $3.2 billion in sales, up 2.5 percent from December 2012.

The department said statewide sales of cars and vehicle parts jumped 11.5 percent, and the furniture business reported a 7 percent increase.

But bars and restaurants showed a decline of 0.3 percent in December, and sales in the construction industry classification fell 14.8 percent.

Car dealers in Clark County posted a 12.9 percent increase in sales and furniture stores rose 6.4 percent.

But sales in appliance stores in Clark County dropped 8.4 percent compared with December 2012. And business in restaurants and bars was down 0.5 percent.

The biggest declines in sales were in Esmeralda County, down 37.9 percent; Nye off 32.1 percent and Humboldt, a drop of 27.7 percent.

The department said the state collected $87.4 million in sales and use taxes in December, a 3.4 percent increase over the same month in 2012.