Sales tax collections, one measure of retail activity, continue to increase on a year-over-year basis in Mesa County.

The county collected nearly $4.2 million in sales taxes in April, an increase of almost $85,000 and 2.1 percent over the same month a year ago. April collections reflect March sales.

Mesa County collected more than $2.4 million in taxes on retail sales in April 2024, a 2.5 percent gain over the same month in 2023. Gains in tax collections on automobiles, clothing and general merchandise more than offset losses in health and personal care wares and sporting goods.

The county collected nearly $1.8 million in sales taxes in other industry categories in April, up 1.5 percent from a year ago. Gains in the hotel and restaurant, rental and telecommunications categories more than offset losses in the construction, oil and natural gas and wholesale categories.

Through the first four months of 2024, Mesa County collected almost $16 million in sales taxes, a 2.8 percent increase over the same span in 2023.

Mesa County collected another $6 million in sales taxes it distributed back to cities and towns in the county, including more than $3.5 million to Grand Junction, nearly $1.1 million to Fruita, almost $770,000 to Palisade and $330,000 each to Collbran and DeBeque.

Tax collections on retail sales rose 2.7 percent to $9.4 million with year-over-year gains in five of eight categories — the biggest in general merchandise, home improvements and clothing.

Sales tax collections for other industries rose 3.1 percent to more than $6.5 million. The biggest year-over-year gains occurred in the hotel and restaurant, rentals and wholesale categories.

Use tax collections — nearly all of them on automobiles purchased outside Mesa County but used in the county — topped $367,000 in April. That’s an 11.2 percent decline from the same month a year ago.

Through the first four months of 2024, the county collected more than $1.5 million in use taxes. That’s an increase of 10 percent over the same span in 2023.