Sales tax collections, an indicator of retail activity, continue to increase in Mesa County, but at a slowing pace.

Mesa County collected more than $3.4 million in sales taxes in March. That’s a gain of nearly $32,000 and nine-tenths of a percent over the same month last year. March collections reflect February sales.

The county also collected $331,860 in use taxes — nearly all of that on automobiles purchased outside the county, but used in the county. That was a decrease of more than $19,000 and 5.5 percent from the same month a year ago.

Tax collections on retail sales totaled almost $2 million in March, a decline of more than $26,000 and 1.3 percent from the same month a year ago. Declines in collections on the sale of home improvements, automobiles and clothing offset gains in five other categories. Tax collections on the sale of general merchandise rose 3 percent.

Sales collections for other industries exceeded $1.4 million, a gain of more than $58,000 and 4.3 percent over the same month a year ago Collections increased in the wholesale, hotel and restaurant and construction sectors, but decreased in the manufacturing and telecommunications sectors.

For the first quarter of 2023, Mesa County collected nearly $11.4 million in sales taxes. That’s an increase of almost $415,000 and 3.8 percent from the first quarter of 2022.

The county collected almost $1 million in use taxes during the first quarter of 2023. That’s a decline of $3,613 and four-tenths of a percent from the first quarter of 2022.