Jacksonville’s taxable sales, led by an 11.1 percent increase in automobile and accessories sales, rose 2.9 percent in December from the year before.
A measure of consumer confidence, taxable sales in the Jacksonville area rose to almost $1.81 billion in December, reported the Florida Legislature Office of Economic and Demographic Research.
The office, a research arm of the Legislature, reported Wednesday that taxable sales statewide rose 4.9 percent to $29.9 billion in December.
Among categories, only tourism and recreation taxable sales showed a gain across the state, with the strongest percentage gains in Winter Haven-Lakeland and Gainesville.
Orlando-Kissimmee posted the highest volume of tourism and recreation taxable sales in December at nearly $1.5 billion, up 3.3 percent.
The data are derived from the sales tax returns remitted to the state Department of Revenue each month. Taxable sales are those defined in state statute.
The office estimates that taxable sales comprise 40-45 percent of all retail sales.
Major categories of exempt sales include food not prepared for immediate consumption, medical and legal services, residential utilities, items bought for resale and several other items.
Generally, the sales tax is levied on goods, although there are some taxable services.
Among the 22 metropolitan statistical areas covered in the report, taxable sales in Winter Haven-Lakeland grew at the highest rate, 8.9 percent, with Miami close behind at 8.5 percent.
Three areas, all on the Gulf Coast in the Panhandle area, posted declines: Panama City, down 2.6 percent; Pensacola, down 1.3 percent; and Fort Walton, down 0.8 percent.
Meanwhile, the highest taxable sales volumes were in Orlando-Kissimmee, at almost $4.4 billion, followed closely by Miami, at $4 billion, and Tampa-St. Petersburg, at almost $3.7 billion.
Tampa’s sales were up 3.9 percent and Orlando’s rose 3.3 percent, less than half Miami’s gain.
The lowest volume of taxable sales was in Palm Coast, a much smaller region, at $66.8 million, while rising 3.6 percent.
In Jacksonville, taxable sales rose in six categories in December and declined in one.
Sales of consumer nondurables — at food and convenience stores, department and clothing stores, drug stores, antique dealers, bookstores, florists, pet dealers and suppliers, social organizations, storage, communications firms, print shops, nurseries, vending machines, utilities and some others that don’t fit into the other categories — fell 1.9 percent to $708 million.
However, the other five categories were up:
• Autos and accessories, up 11.1 percent to $294 million.
• Consumer durables, up 6.2 percent to $112.7 million.
• Building investment, up 5 percent to $79.6 million.
• Tourism and recreation, up 4.7 percent to $322.7 million.
• Business investment, up 3.9 percent to $290 million.
Except for business investment, Jacksonville’s growth lagged the state’s sales growth. Jacksonville’s business investment increase slightly surpassed the state’s rise of 3.6 percent.
The highest and lowest growth percentages among categories:
• Autos and accessories: Palm Coast, up 20.5 percent; Panama City, down 1 percent.
• Consumer durables: West Palm Beach, up 17.6 percent; Palm Coast, down 11.3 percent.
• Tourism and recreation: Winter Haven-Lakeland, up 21.2 percent; Panama City, up 2.3 percent. No area showed a decline.
• Consumer nondurables: Miami, up 7.1 percent; Fort Walton, down 7.4 percent.
• Building investment: Sebastian-Vero Beach, up 22.3 percent; Panama City, down 2.7 percent.
• Business investment: Winter Haven-Lakeland, up 15.3 percent; Pensacola, down 7.5 percent.
The office also reports an Index of Retail Activity to allow comparisons over time among metropolitan areas.
The retail index measures non-investment spending and includes autos and accessories, other durables, tourism and recreation, and consumer durables. It represents a four-month moving average and is similar to personal consumption.
In December, Jacksonville’s retail index rose 2.2 percent over the year, compared to the state gain of 5.7 percent.
The highest gain was 9.2 percent in Miami. The only area to show a decline was Pensacola, down 0.1 percent.
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Jacksonville taxable sales
In Jacksonville, taxable sales in December were up 2.9 percent from December 2010 to almost $1.81 billion. The state says taxable sales represent 40-45 percent of all retail sales.\
| Category | % change | December total |
| Autos and accessories | + 11.1 percent | $294 million |
| Consumer durables | + 6.2 percent | $112.7 million |
| Building investment | + 5 percent | $79.6 million |
| Tourism and recreation | + 4.7 percent | $322.7 million |
| Business investment | + 3.9 percent | $290 million |
| Consumer nondurables | - 1.9 percent | $708 million |
Source: Office of Economic and Demographic Research, The Florida Legislature
Category definitions
Autos and accessories: Taxable sales include the sale of new and used cars, repair shops, auto supply stores, and taxable sales at gasoline stations.
Consumer durables: Taxable sales include the sale of appliances, furniture, home electronics, aircraft, boat dealers, hardware and decorating stores.
Tourism and recreation: Taxable sales include hotels and motels, bar and restaurant sales, liquor stores, photo and art stores, gift shops, admissions, sporting goods, rentals, and jewelry stores.
Consumer nondurables: Taxable sales include food and convenience stores, department and clothing stores, drug stores, antique dealers, bookstores, florists, pet dealers and suppliers, social organizations, storage, communications firms, print shops, nurseries, vending machines, utilities, and any other kind that doesn’t fit into the other categories.
Building investment: Taxable sales include sales by building contractors, heating and air conditioning contractors, insulation, well drilling, electrical contractors, interior decorating, paint and wallpaper shops, cabinet and woodworking shops, soil, lumber and building suppliers, and roofing contractors. Services provided by these businesses are not generally taxable.
Business investment: Taxable sales include farm equipment, feed and seed suppliers, store and office equipment, computer shops, machine shops, industrial machinery, hotel and restaurant suppliers, transportation equipment, manufacturing and refining equipment, industrial suppliers, paper and packaging materials, medical and optical supplies, commercial rentals, and wholesale dealers. Transactions reported as subject to the “use” tax also are included in the category, regardless of the code of the business reporting the “use” tax.
Source: Office of Economic and Demographic Research, The Florida Legislature