OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Washington’s taxable retail sales were down just slightly in the second quarter of 2010, welcome news after a big decline last year.
Retail sales are an important factor in government finances because nearly half the state’s general revenue comes from sales taxes.
The state Revenue Department says sales dropped by 1 percent to $24.9 billion through the end of June. A year earlier, taxable sales were down by 14 percent. And in 2008, the decline was 2.4 percent.
The figures in Thursday’s report were held down by a weak construction sector, which dropped about 11 percent from a year earlier. Car sales were up, along with accommodations and food services.
The peak for second-quarter sales was in 2007, when they reached $29.8 billion.
