Carson trails state in sales tax increase

Driven by major utility company purchases and a strong month for southern Nevada bars and restaurants, taxable sales increased 12.1 percent in October compared to the same month a year ago.

The total increased from $3.1 billion to $3.5 billion.

In Clark County, the increase was 9.3 percent to $2.5 billion. Overall, the county had a strong month in a variety of categories, but the big one was sales by eating and drinking places, which increased just under $84 million to $850.7 million.

Outside of Clark, the "utility purchases" category went from $25.3 million a year ago to $90.9 million this past October. While the Taxation Department doesn't release what it considers proprietary corporate information, that appears in large part tied to a gas pipeline project as it moves across the northern rural part of the state. Churchill saw its sales increase 32.9 percent to $25.8 million. Lander's sales went up 61.3 percent to $27.3 million, Elko sales increased 46.2 percent to $155 million, and total sales in Pershing County increased 132.5 percent to $15 million.

Carson City, however, didn't fare as well, seeing just a 1.5 percent increase in total sales to $59 million.

The capital saw an increase in motor vehicle sales - 6.2 percent to $14.9 million. But its other two largest categories were both down from a year ago. General merchandise storers reported a 3.5 percent decrease to $11.1 million, and the "eating-and-drinking places" category fell 4.5 percent to $6.2 million.

But Carson City Finance Director Nick Providenti said actual tax collections fared better in Carson, with the combined sales and use tax up more than 3 percent and the Supplemental City County Relief Tax portion up more than 4 percent. He credited the capital's portion of those huge utility purchases, which are divided among the different counties according to a formula.

Washoe County reported an increase even larger than Clark, at 14.9 percent - $474.6 million. Heavy Construction was up 350 percent to $31.3 million, Specialty Trade Contractors up 100 percent to $11.6 million, Mineral Product Manufacturing up nearly 42 percent to $5 million, and Wholesalers of Durable Goods up 13.5 percent to $30.7 million. A number of smaller categories also did well in Washoe during October.

Douglas County was up 6.4 percent to $45 million. The county's big category, eating and drinking places - primarily at South Lake Tahoe - increased 4.5 percent to $9.1 million. Wholesalers of durable goods reported a nearly 30 percent jump to $2.7 million.

Lyon County increased more than 22 percent to $26 million. Specialty Trade Contractors, Mineral Product Manufacturing, Petroleum and Coal Manufacturing and Wood Product Manufacturing all reported increases of over 100 percent.

County Taxable Sales Change from Oct. 2010

Statewide $3.5 billion 12.1%

Carson City $59.01 million 1.5%

Churchill $25.78 million 32.9%

Douglas $45.07 million 6.4%

Lyon $26.05 million 22%

Storey $5.76 million 22.2%

Washoe $474.6 million 14.9%

Clark County $2.52 billion 9.3%