Taxable sales increase

Alexis Barker
NLJ News Editor
 
Weston County was one of seven counties in the state to experience a double-digit increase in taxable sales for the second quarter of 2019, compared with the same period in 2018, according to an economic summary report released by the Economic Analysis Division of the Wyoming Department of Administration and Information. This marks two consecutive quarters of year-over-year double-digit growth in sales tax for the county. 
According to the report, Weston County’s taxable sales grew by 10.2% for the second quarter of 2019 and by 16.2% in the first quarter of the year, compared with the same period in 2018. The state experienced an increase of 7.8% for the second quarter and a 14.1% increase in the first quarter of the year. 
“Based on sales and use tax collections, total taxable sales in the state grew 7.8% to $4.7 billion in the second quarter of 2019. Increases occurred in most economic industries, with the fastest growth in the financial activities sector which mostly reflects sales in automotive, machinery and equipment rental and leasing, experiencing a year-over-year expansion of 25.3%,” the report says. “The mining sector (including oil and gas extraction) grew 13.2% due to increased sales of
equipment, supplies and services from new energy exploration and production activity. However, the second quarter amount in mining was still 40.1% less than the figure for the fourth quarter of 2014 – before the energy downturn.” 
Across the state, according to the report, 17 out of the 23 counties experienced an increase in taxable sales, led by Converse County at 54.4%. Six other counties, including Weston, Campbell, Laramie, Natrona, Park and Uinta, demonstrated double-digit expansion in taxable sales. 
Looking at a breakdown of taxable sales by industry in the county, eight industries experienced increases (utilities, retail trade, transportation and warehousing, information, professional and business services, education and health services, other services and public administration), while seven industries (agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, mining, construction, manufacturing, wholesale trade, financial activities and leisure and hospitality) experienced a decrease in overall taxable sales. 
The highest increase, percentage-wise, was in the transportation and warehousing industry at 278%, although the increase dollar-wise was only $27,882. In dollars, the highest increase was in the public administration sector with $59,224 more in taxable sales in the second quarter of 2019 over the second quarter 2018. 
Overall, retail trade in Weston County had the most in taxable sales in the second quarter of 2019 with $431,651, compared with $379,828 in the second quarter of 2018. Other areas experiencing the highest taxable sales were public administration at $279,954 and utilities at $136,691, during the same time. 
The industry experiencing the steepest decrease was educational and health services at 59.6%, followed closely by mining with a decrease of 43.9%, or $65,867 from the previous year.
Totals in all 15 industries in Weston County revealed that taxable sales increased by $124,769, or 10.3%, in the second quarter of 2019 when compared with the second quarter of 2018.