Sales tax collections declined on a year-over-year basis for Mesa County in September, although year-to-date collections in 2023 continue to outpace 2022.

The county collected more than $4.2 million in sales taxes in September. That was a 5.1 percent decrease compared to the same month a year ago. September collections reflect August sales.

Through the first three quarters of 2023, the county collected more than $36.7 million in sales taxes. That’s up nine-tenths of a percent from the same span in 2022.

Mesa County collected another $14 million in sales taxes through the first three quarters of 2023 it distributed back to cities and towns in the county. Grand Junction received more than $8.1 million. Fruita received more than $2.5 million and Palisade nearly $1.8 million. Collbran and DeBeque each received $760,103.

The county collected more than $2.4 million in taxes on retail sales in September, a drop of 7 percent from the same month last year. Collections decreased 13.4 percent for automobiles, 12.3 percent for home improvements and 4.5 percent for general merchandise.

Sales tax collections totaled more than $1.8 million for other industries, a year-over-year decline of 2.5 percent.

Through the first three quarters of 2023, Mesa County collected almost $21.3 million in taxes on retail sales. That was a decrease of nearly $540,000 and 2.5 percent from the same span in 2022. A 14.2 percent decrease on tax collections on home improvements more than offset a 2.2 percent increase in tax collections on general merchandise.

Sales tax collections totaled nearly $15.5 million for other industries, an increase of 6 percent. Collections rose 10 percent for the wholesale category and 5.4 percent for the hotel and restaurant category.

Use tax collections — nearly all of it on automobiles purchased outside the county, but used in the county — totaled $384,680 in September. That was a 7 percent decline from the same month a year ago. For the first three quarters of 2023, use tax collections totaled almost $3.3 million, down three-tenths of a percent from the same span in 2022.