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Show Taxable sales grew in 1990 Taxable sales in Utah grew 6.2 percent in 1990, despite the hobbling hobbl-ing effect of the Persian Gulf war during the year's latter months, according ac-cording to a State Tax Commission report. The report, "Calendar Year and Fourth Quarter of 1990 Gross Taxable Tax-able Retail Sales and Purchases in the State of Utah," shows rising gasoline costs and the threat of war continued to slow Utah retail durable goods trade in the fourth calendar quarter of 1990. During that pre-war quarter, Utah taxable retail sales grew only 4.4 percent, compared to the six to eight percent growth range maintained since the economic recovery of 1988, the report says. Motor vehicle sales fell for the third straight quarter. The report said the 4.7 percent decline might have been worse had prospective luxury car buyers not been spurred into action by the upcoming imposition imposi-tion of a federal luxury tax on autos worth more than $30,000. In addition, the fear of war also probably suspended 'building, garden and furniture' store purchases, pur-chases, which fell six percent in the quarter. However, 'general merchandise1 mer-chandise1 and 'apparel' store sales rose 6.3 percent, 'food category sales gained 3.2 percent, and 'restaurant' sales rose 5.7 percent. 'Business investment' purchases and 'utility' sales were also quite strong in the fourth quarter. 'Transportation' and 'utility category sales rose 12 percent, the latter probably due to the extremely cold weather in December. 'Manufacturing' and 'construction purchases together rose a strong 12 percent in the final quarter. 'Wholesale trade's' final sales rose more than nine percent in the fourth quarter of 1990. The 'taxable services' sector's 5.3 percent growth in the final quarter was led by double-digit increases in-creases in the categories of 'health,' 'education, 'legal' and 'social services.' ser-vices.' Sales were flat in the larger sectors such as 'hotels, 'business services' and 'automobile repair.' |
