Spending Remains Robust

A couple of recent government reports indicate that spending in Orange County has continued at a robust pace, but inflation remains dormant.

A report by the State Board of Equalization showed that the county’s taxable sales for all of 1996 totaled $32.5 billion, up 8.6% from nearly $30 billion the previous year. The increase outpaced the 6.7% rise in taxable sales for the state as a whole.

In November, however, consumer prices in the Greater Los Angeles region, which includes Orange County, moved down 0.2% from October, and were just 1.5% higher than a year earlier, the Labor Department reported. Housing, apparel and transportation costs declined from October to November, while food, medical care and entertainment were more expensive.

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Patrice Apodaca covers economic issues for The Times. She can be reached at (714) 966-5979 and at patrice.apodaca@latimes.com.