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

The county collected nearly $4.2 million in sales taxes in May, an increase of almost $160,000 and 4 percent over what was collected during the same month a year ago. May collections reflect April sales.

Tax collections on retail sales topped $2.4 million in May 2024, an increase of 3.7 percent over the same month in 2023. Increases in tax collections on the sales of clothing and general merchandise more than offset declines in collections on the sales of automobiles and sporting goods.

Mesa County collected nearly $1.75 million in sales taxes from sales in other industries in May, a 4.3 percent increase over the same month a year ago. Increased collections in the construction, hotel and restaurant and manufacturing industries more than offset declines in the oil and natural gas and utilities industries.

Through the first five months of 2024, the county collected more than $20 million in sales taxes, an increase of almost $600,000 and 3.1 percent over the same span in 2023.

Mesa County collected another $7.6 million in sales taxes it distributed back to cities and towns in the county, including more than $4.4 million to Grand Junction, nearly $1.4 million to Fruita, $971,413 to Palisade and 416,320 each to Collbran and De Beque.

Year-to-date tax collections on retail sales rose 4.2 percent to top $11.8 million. Increased collections on the sale of general merchandise, home improvements and clothing more than offset decreased collections on automobiles and sporting goods.

Year-to-date tax collections on sales in other industries totaled almost $8.3 million, a 3.3 percent increase. Increased collections on sales in the hotel and restaurant, rental and wholesale industries more than offset decreased collections in the construction, oil and gas and utilities industries.

Use tax collections — nearly all of them collected on the sales of automobiles purchased outside the county, but used in the county — totaled nearly $380,000 in May. That was a 3 percent increase over the same month a year ago.

Through the first five months of 2024, use tax collections totaled almost $1.9 million, an 8.5 percent increase over the same span in 2023.