The city's October sales and use report

"I look at that number as healthy. Not robust, but healthy," said Mike Beckstead, the city's chief financial officer. "We are in a nice, steady growth pattern that ought to make us all feel good about the future."Use taxes, those taxes paid on such things as building permits, vehicles purchased outside city limits and business investment, dropped 7.5 percent as taxes paid on business purchases dropped nearly 32 percent. Year to date, combined sales and use tax collections are up 4.1 percent.More than 50 percent of the city's general budget comes from sales and use taxes that help fund parks and recreation, city government, police and other government functions.September spending on clothing and accessories in Fort Collins dropped $1 million compared to a year ago, a clear indication that residents are eschewing department stores for their clothing purchases or heading elsewhere as stores closed in Foothills Mall.The city's October sales and use report, reflecting September spending, shows shoppers spent $7.1 million on clothing and accessories compared to $8.1 million a year ago. Year-to-date through the first nine months, consumers spent $4 million less at clothing and accessory stores.Some of the difference may have been made up at general merchandise stores such as Target, Kmart and Walmart, which saw an overall increase of about $1.5 million.The category has been down consistently all year, said Jessica Ping-Small, the city's sales tax manager. "The negative seems to be growing." Ping-Small said she couldn't speak to whether it means people are shopping general merchandise stores or going out of town. "With some key stores closing at the mall, that's going to have some effect."Sales tax revenue at the mall is down 20 percent from the previous year as stores closed or moved.It's the continuation of a 10-year trend that started as the mall aged and lost its prominence as Northern Colorado's shopping hub. Through September, the city collected $1.45 million in sales taxes from the mall, compared to $1.82 million through the first nine months of last year, according to city sales tax data. this is My Favorites :In the white paper for the environment bill