By Mark Waite

Nye County taxable sales ended the 2012 year on another strong month in December, a 118.3 percent increase over December 2011 figures.

For the fiscal year that began July 1, taxable sales are up one-third over the first six months of the 2011-12 fiscal year.

Nye County merchants rang up $94.6 million in taxable sales in December, up from $43.36 million in December 2011.

For the first six months of the fiscal year, Nye County had $345 million in taxable sales, up from $258 million in the last half of 2011.

For calendar year 2012, taxable sales ended up almost 20 percent over 2011 sales with merchants tallying $624 million in taxable sales in 2012, after $523 million in taxable sales in 2011.

Taxable sales were down 8.2 percent in January, 1.3 percent in May, 8.2 percent in July and eight-tenths of a percent in September. But every other month registered increases over 2011.

The strong December figures follow a 60 percent increase in Nye County taxable sales in November. The main driver of the increase both months was specialty trade contractors, which includes equipment for renewable energy projects like SolarReserve. In December, specialty trade contractors had $38.2 million in taxable sales, up from $2.8 million in December 2011.

Taxable sales in Nye County for mining also had a sharp increase, 1,938 percent, from $195,165 in December 2011 to $3.97 million in December 2012. Support activities for mining had a 126 percent increase in taxable sales, increasing from $706,747 to $1.6 million. Utilities had a 734 percent increase, from $134,175 in taxable sales to $1.2 million. Taxable sales for machinery manufacturing rose 240 percent, from $2.12 million to $7.2 million from December 2011 to December 2012. Taxable sales for merchant wholesalers of durable goods went up 142 percent from $3.57 million to $8.6 million.

On more of a consumer level, Nye County motor vehicle and parts dealers had a 43 percent increase in taxable sales in December 2012, $5.7 million compared to $3.9 million in December 2011. For the second six months of 2012, motor vehicle and parts dealers saw taxable sales increase 27.8 percent.

Taxable sales rung up by food and beverage stores were up 7.7 percent in December, from $2.1 million in 2011 to $2.28 million in 2012. General merchandise stores had a 1 percent gain in taxable sales, from $5.45 million to $5.5 million. Taxable sales paid for rental and lease services rose 17 percent from $1.3 million to $1.5 million. Food services and drinking places registered an 11.3 percent increase in taxable sales, from $3.12 million to $3.47 million.

The bountiful sales helped Nye County receive over $7 million in consolidated tax for the first six months of this fiscal year. Sales taxes are the predominant part of consolidated tax, which also includes cigarette tax, liquor tax and real property transfer tax.