Autos Take Biggest Chunk

How do we spend it? Let us count the ways.

The State Board of Equalization has published a new report on where Californians’ retail dollars go. (The board is thorough, but slow--the report is for the last three months of 1997.)

No big surprises for Orange County.

It shows we spent $9.5 billion on taxable items from October through December last year, up nearly 9% from the final quarter of 1996. Automotive spending, which includes new and used cars, repairs, parts and accessories and gasoline, took the biggest chunk--$1.29 billion.

But we also spent $1.12 billion at department and drug stores in the county and an equal amount at specialty retailers, such as jewelers, music and book shops and florists. Clothing and shoe sales at places other than department stores totaled another $409 million.

We left $709 million with local restaurants, cafes and fast-food joints; $369 million at lumber, hardware, paint, wallpaper, plumbing and electrical stores; $335 million at grocery stores, and $316 million at home appliance and furniture stores.

Now you know.