A key measure of sales activity continues to increase in Grand Junction and Mesa County.

The City of Grand Junction reported an 11.9 percent increase in sales tax collections in March compared to the same month last year. Mesa County reported a 10.7 percent year-over-year increase.

City lodging tax collections, a measure of hotel and motel stays, fell 8.9 percent.

March tax reports reflect February sales.

The city collected a total of almost $4.4 million in sales and use taxes, an increase of more than $470,000 and 12 percent. Use taxes, a smaller and more volatile revenue source, increased 16 percent.

For the first quarter of 2021, the city collected a total of more than $15 million in sales and use taxes, an increase nearly $960,000 and 6.8 percent gain over the first quarter of 2020. A 7.8 percent increase in sales tax collections more than offset a 31.5 percent decrease in use taxes.

Mesa County collected a total of nearly $3.16 million in sales and use taxes in March, an increase of more than $258,000 and 8.9 percent increase over the same month last year.

Use taxes collections — nearly all of them on automobiles purchased outside the county, but used in the county — declined 8.4 percent.

County tax collections on retail sales topped $1 million, a 17.8 percent increase over March 2020. Taxes on internet sales totaled nearly $198,000, a 42.2 percent year-over-year increase. 

Tax collections increased 25.4 percent home improvements and 17.6 percent on auto sales as well as 44.8 percent in the construction sector, but fell 1.3 percent on restaurant meals and hotel stays.

For the first quarter, Mesa County collected a total of more than $10.2 million in sales and use taxes, an increase of nearly $866,000 and 9.3 percent over the first quarter of 2020. Sales tax collections increased 9.3 percent, while use tax collections rose 9 percent.

The county collected nearly $3.7 million in taxes on retail sales during the first quarter of 2021, an 18 percent year-over-year gain. Tax collections on internet sales totaled almost $740,000, a 60.4 percent increase over the first quarter of 2020.

Tax collections increased 28.2 percent on home improvements, 9.9 percent on auto sales and 19.4 percent in the construction sector. Collections fell 4.3 percent on restaurant meals and hotel stays and 60.6 percent in the oil and natural gas sector.

The City of Grand Junction collected $71,929 in lodging taxes in March. For the first quarter, the city collected $203, 970 in lodging taxes. That’s a decrease of 17.6 percent from the first quarter of 2020.