Taxable sales up 5.1 percent in Carson City

May taxable sales grew 4.7 percent to just more than $5 billion with 13 of Nevada’s 17 counties reporting gains.

Carson City was up 5.1 percent and Clark and Washoe counties were both up 5.6 percent for the month but those gains were offset by a near 39 percent drop in Storey County as sales dropped dramatically at the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center. May this year saw $93.57 million in taxable sales there compared to $145.7 million a year ago.

In addition, Eureka County, where mining is king, saw a 22.6 percent decrease in taxable sales.

But Taxation Director Bill Anderson said this is the 95th consecutive month of growth.

In Carson City, auto sales, the capital’s largest taxable sales generator, reported a 2.4 percent increase to $28.46 million. Building material sales did better, growing 7.7 percent to $14.2 million. And General Merchandise Stores reported $13.36 million in sales, a 7.4 percent gain.

Food Services and Drinking Places were up 6.4 percent to $9.6 million.

The numbers were flat in Douglas County, growing by just nine-tenths of a percent to $59.1 million. The county’s largest generator, Food Services and Drinking Places, was up just 5.4 percent to $11.88 million and General Merchandise Stores by 5.5 percent to $8.5 million.

Churchill County had total sales of $30.2 million, a 2.6 percent increase. Auto sales totaled $3.8 million, an 11 percent increase and Building material sales $2.6 million, a 17.7 percent growth.

In addition, there was the 7.9 percent increase in the Food Services and Drinking places category at $2.9 million.

Lyon County had an excellent month, growing total taxable sales 11.7 percent to $43.7 million. A major driver was the 30.6 percent increase in building material sales for a total of $5.96 million. At $3.79 million, General Merchandise Stores were up 11 percent.

Washoe County reported total sales of $709.9 million in solid increases in a long list of retail categories including 37 percent more in the General Merchandise category for a total of $67.8 million.

Sales in Clark County totaled $3.66 billion. Food Services and Drinking places accounted for $967.5 million of that, a 3.9 percent increase.

Statewide, Food Services and Drinking Places had the highest dollar volume, which is up 3.6 percent.

The highest rate of increase was in Building material sales at 11 percent.