Taxable sales plummet in Churchill County

September’s state taxable sales were up 9 percent over the same month last year, just topping the $4 billion mark.

Food services and drinking places, motor vehicle sales and miscellaneous manufacturing were all up double digits. Construction categories had one of their best months in a long time, increasing 16.6 percent overall.

One of the hardest-hit, however, was Churchill County, which saw a 49 percent drop to $20.79 million. Building material sales fell 19 percent to $1.5 million. Electrical appliance manufacturing fell to $5 million, one-third of what it was a year ago. Half the loss from the same reporting time in 2012 centered on Electric Equipment, Appliance and Manufacturing. In September 2012, the category generated $15.7 in taxable sales but dropped to $5 million in September.

Because of the geothermal industry and construction, much of last year’s total figures have been adjusted for tax abatements as approved by the Nevada Legislature.

Other significant losses occurred in Miscellaneous Manufacturing, Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing, Wood Product Manufacturing, Clothing and Clothing Accessories Stores and Food Services and Drinking Place.

Food Services dropped 17.7 percent, $3 million to $2.4 million.

Some categories, though, showed some improvement. Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers posted its second straight September for showing gains to $2.8 million, a difference of 8.1 percent from 2012.Furniture and Home Furnishings Stores improved 45.2 percent to $407,000, while General Merchandise Stores essentially had a push at $3.2 million.

In Carson City, the news also was good: A 6 percent increase to nearly $66.2 million. Motor vehicle sales, Carson’s largest tax generator, led the way with a 12.1 percent increase, to $17.8 million. But general merchandise stores, the second-largest category, were up just 2.7 percent to $11.3 million for the month.

Construction categories also were strong in Carson, with building material sales up 9.6 percent to over $6 million. Food services and drinking places were up as well, 5.8 percent to $7.9 million.

But many other categories were soft.

Douglas County had a slightly lower growth for the month, but 4.5 percent to $56.9 million was still a solid gain.

Miscellaneous manufacturing increased more than 500 percent to $5.52 million and general merchandise stores, one of the county’s top tax producers, was up 18 percent to $7.58 million. But Douglas’s biggest generator, food services and drinking places — the Stateline casinos — was down 3.1 percent to $12.3 million.

Clark and Washoe counties had double-digit increases in September. Clark was up 105 percent to $2.97 billion, and Washoe reported 10.7 percent at $542.3 million.

Seven of Nevada’s 17 counties reported decreases.

Overall, Elko was down 12.5 percent to $122.6 million, Esmeralda down 18.2 percent to $1.3 million, Lincoln down 16 percent to $2 million and White Pine down 62.7 percent to $20.8 million.

There were some bright spots in rural Nevada.

Lyon County, which has struggled through the recession, had a whopping 155 percent increase in total sales to $33.85 million.

Miscellaneous manufacturing jumped more than 1,300 percent to $2.28 million, and wholesale non-durable goods rose 246 percent to $2.6 million.

Motor vehicle sales were up nearly 33 percent to $2.8 million, and building material sales were up 9.2 percent to $3 million.

Esmeralda County reported a 71.9 percent increase to $38.9 million, Nye a 19.8 percent to $58.5 million and Humboldt a 37 percent gain to $83.56 million.