Taxable retail sales hit record $145.9 billion in 2016

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Big gains in construction and new and used auto sales helped fuel a jump in taxable retail sales to a record $145.9 billion in 2016, a 7.8 percent increase over calendar year 2015.

Retail trade sales also showed an increase of 6 percent to $63.2 billion for 2016.

The Washington State Department of Revenue (Revenue) released the figures Monday, which summarize four quarters of taxable retail sales reported on Washington business tax returns. The agency uses Census Bureau classifications to report the sales revenues by sector.

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