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

The county collected nearly $3.6 million in sales taxes in February, an increase of almost $166,000 and
4.9 percent over the same month a year ago. February tax collections reflect January sales.

Mesa County collected almost $2.1 million in taxes on retail sales in February, a 6.6 percent increase over a year ago. Gains on tax collections on the sales of clothing, home improvements and general merchandise more than offset declines for automobiles and sporting goods.

The county collected almost $1.5 million in taxes on sales in other industry categories, up 2.5 percent  from a year ago. Gains in the wholesale, telecommunications and hotel and restaurant categories more than offset declines in the construction, manufacturing and oil and natural gas categories.

Through the first two months of 2024, Mesa County collected nearly $8.2 million in sales taxes, a 2.1 percent increase over the same span in 2023.

Tax collections on retail sales rose 1.8 percent to almost $4.9 million with the biggest year-over-year gains in the home improvement, general merchandise and clothing categories.

Tax collections for other industries rose 2.7 percent to nearly $3.3 million. The biggest year-over-year gains occurred in the whole sale, rentals and hotel and restaurant categories.

Use tax collections — nearly all of them on automobiles purchased outside the county, but used in the county — totaled $372,573 in February. That’s a 22.1 percent gain over the same month a year ago.

For the first two months of 2024, Mesa County collected $730,512 in use taxes. That’s an increase of 17.6 percent over the same span in 2023.

Combined sales and use tax collections have increased in February for each of the past five years — from more than $2.8 million in 2020 to nearly $4 million in 2024.