December sales up in Carson, down in Douglas

Carson City recorded a 4.6 percent increase in taxable sales this past December, a total of $75.9 million.

That is significantly better than the 1.7 percent increase recorded statewide and dramatically better than the 13.4 percent decrease Douglas County reported and the 24.4 percent decrease in Lyon for the month. Douglas had total taxable sales of just $54.29 million. Lyon’s total sales fell to just over $31 million.

Total sales for the state were just over $4.4 billion for the month led by an 11.5 percent increase in auto sales.

In the capital, auto sales mirrored the overall increase at 4.5 percent up — $18.9 million — compared to the same month a year ago. But the second biggest tax generator, General Merchandise Stores, was off seven-tenths to $16.7 million in December.

In Douglas County, General Merchandise sales increased 15.5 percent and Motor Vehicle sales by 24.5 percent.

But several other significant categories experienced deep decreases. Miscellaneous Manufacturing from nearly $5 million a year ago to under $165,000 this year while Wholesalers of durable goods saw a 50 percent drop to $2.67 million.

And the county’s largest taxable sales category, Food Services and Drinking Places — primarily the Tahoe casinos — fell 30.5 percent to $8.4 million.

In Lyon, the primary problem was in Printing and Related Support Activities, which reported a $1.4 million loss for the month

Churchill County reported a 2.2 percent increase to $29.1 million.

Food Services and Drinking Places were up 5.9 percent and Utilities were up 6.3 percent but General Merchandise sales dipped 7.7 percent and Electrical Equipment and Appliance Manufacturing reported a $1.6 million loss for the month.

Washoe County saw a 13.1 percent increase in December, with total sales just under $624.3 million. Food Services and Drinking Places were up 7.2 percent, auto sales up 17.6 percent and Building Materials sales up 76 percent.

But that was tempered by Clark County’s increase of just 2.5 percent to $3.25 billion along with the fact that, in all, eight of Nevada’s 17 counties were down in December.