Every year the taxable sales report for Thurston County during the Third Quarter usually drops. This time it dropped close to 9 percent, and lower numbers have continued to show up on reports for the last seven quarters in a row, according to state Department of Revenue data released Thursday, January 15, this year.
In the State of Washington, taxable retail sales fell 11.6 percent from the previous year. This is the third-largest decline on record so far. The City of Yelm fell 17.29 percent to $35.7 million from $43.2 million the previous year.
Notwithstanding, Ramtha’s School of Enlightenment’s (RSE) demographic reports show a contribution to the local economy during the last Third Quarter by RSE students of $642,250, which is 1.8% of Yelm’s $35.7 million total retail sales. Furthermore, RSE’s demographic reports for the entire 2009 show a significant increase in local spending by RSE students from the previous year, a new record of $2,709,613 reported by 6,767 students who participated in the demographic survey.
Quite impressive, being in a major recession as the data shows!
Students of Ramtha’s School of Enlightenment are proud to contribute to the local economy and private businesses of this community.