County retail sales tax reflects sale comeback

Whitman County retailers sold 19 percent more goods between January and March of this year than the same period of 2010.

A report issued Friday by the state Department of Revenue showed Whitman County booked more than $111 million in sales during the first quarter of 2011. In the first quarter of 2010, Whitman County logged $93 million in retail sales.

“You can attribute it to just quite a few things going on,” said Whitman County Treasurer Robert Lothspeich. “But there’s no question Wal-Mart’s had a lot to do with it.”

Wal-Mart opened the doors on its Pullman Supercenter in October, 2010. Tax...