Tax collections, a measure of sales activity, continue to increase in Mesa County.

The county collected nearly $3.9 million in sales taxes in June, a 21 percent increase over the same month last year.

The county collected almost $400,000 in use taxes — nearly all of that on automobiles purchased outside the county, but used in the county. That’s a 94 percent increase over a year ago.

June collections reflect May sales.

As of press deadline, the City of Grand Junction hadn’t yet posted on its website its reports for sales, use and lodging tax collections for June.

For Mesa County, combined sales and use tax collections in June were up more than $863,000 and 25.4 percent over the same month a year ago.

Tax collections on retail sales reached nearly $1.3 million, a 13.9 percent increase over a year ago. Collections rose in every retail category, including a 112.7 percent increase in clothing, a 27 percent increase in health and personal care and 5.8 percent increase in internet sales.

Collections also rose on a year-over-year basis 62.1 percent on restaurant meals and hotel stays and 22.1 percent on home improvements. Collections slipped 2 percent on automobile sales and 2.3 percent in the oil and natural gas sector.

For the first half of 2021, Mesa County collected a total of  more than $23 million in sales and use taxes. That’s an increase of nearly $4.5 million and 24 percent over the same span in 2020. Sales tax collections rose 22.1 percent, while use tax collections climbed 49.6 percent.

County tax collections on retail sales totaled nearly $7.7 million during the first half of 2021. Tax collections on internet sales rose 43.3 percent to nearly $1.5 million.

Sales tax collections rose 36.8 percent on home improvements, 31.9 percent on restaurant meals and hotel stays and 23.8 percent on automobile sales. Collections declined 55.3 percent in the oil and natural gas sector.