“Year-over-year taxable retail sales in Thurston County fell nearly 9 percent in the third quarter of 2009, the seventh consecutive quarter in which businesses and consumers cut back on their spending, according to state Department of Revenue data released Thursday [Jan. 15]…

Statewide taxable retail sales fell 11.6 percent from the previous year in the third quarter, the third-largest decline on record…

In Thurston County and its four largest cities, the overall year-over-year taxable retail sales data show:

Thurston County: Fell 8.95 percent to $968.7 million from $1.06 billion

Olympia: Fell 2.68 percent to $435.3 million from $447.2 million

Lacey: Fell 15.29 percent to $238.8 million from $281.9 million

Tumwater: Fell 5.44 percent to $109.2 million from $115.5 million

Yelm: Fell 17.29 percent to $35.7 million from $43.2 million,” quoting The Olympian.

THIS WRITER WARNED THE CITY COUNCIL ON THE RECORD IN LATE 2009 THAT REVENUES FROM TAXES WOULD CONTINUE TO DECLINE, AFFECTING THEIR BUDGET!