What’s Driving Sales Taxes
Statewide taxable sales, or retail sales, have increased steadily since 1994 after recovering from a recessionary downturn in the early ‘90s. The city of Los Angeles received the lion’s share of sales and use taxes levied on retail sales in the county last year. Automotive businesses--including car dealers, suppliers, service stations, and mobile home, boat and motorcycle dealers--were the largest retail-sales-generating group in 1996. A look at retail sales growth, the businesses that generated it and the Los Angeles cities that reaped the greatest benefits:
Statewide taxable sales
Taxable transactions, in billions
1996: $320.7
*
Taxable sales by business type, 1996
Percentage of total
Automotive: 17.67%
General merchandise: 10.80%
Specialty stores: 9.75%
Eating and drinking places: 8.33%
Building materials: 4.40%
Business and personal services: 4.90%
Apparel: 3.45%
Other: 40.70%
*
Los Angeles County cities getting the greatest share of 1996 sales and use tax revenues
City: Revenue distributed, in millions
Los Angeles: $278.2
Torrance: $29.7
Long Beach: $24.5
Pasadena: $21.4
Industry: $20.8
Glendale: $19.8
Santa Monica: $18.4
Cerritos: $18.3
Santa Fe Springs: $17.7
Santa Clarita: $14.2
Source: State Board of Equalization
Researched by JENNIFER OLDHAM / Los Angeles Times
