Overall sales tax collections held steady in Mesa County in April compared to a year ago.

The county collected more than $4.1 million in April, $792 more than what was collected during the same month a year ago.April collections reflect March sales.

Collections on retail sales neared $2.4 million, a decrease of nearly $116,000 and 4.7 percent from a year ago. Year-over-year declines in collections on the sales of automobiles, clothing, health and personal care products and home improvements more than offset gains in four other categories. Collections on the sales of general merchandise, the largest single category, rose 3 percent to top $704,000.

Collections on sales in other industries advanced 7.2 percent with gains in nine sectors more than offsetting losses in six sectors. Collections increased in the manufacturing, hotel and restaurant and wholesale sectors, but decreased in finance, medical and oil and natural gas sectors.

Use tax collections — nearly all of them imposed on automobiles purchased outside the county, but used in the county —  totaled nearly $414,000 in April. That’s an increase of  more than $31,000 and 8.1 percent from the same month a year ago.

Through the first four months of 2023, Mesa County collected a total of more than $15.5 million in sales taxes. That’s an increase of more than $415,000 and 2.8 percent over the same span in 2022.

The county also collected a total of nearly $5.9 million in sales taxes it distributed to five municipalities in the county, including more than $3.4 million to Grand Junction.

Year-to-date collections on retail sales totaled nearly $9.2 million, a decrease of more than $140,000 and 1.5 percent from 2022. Declines in collections on the sales of automobiles, health and personal care wares and home improvements more than offset gains in other categories.

Year-to-date collections on sales in other industries increased 9.6 percent with the biggest gains in the construction, hotel and restaurant and utilities industries.

Year-to-date use tax collections topped $1.4 million, a 2 percent increase.