BOULDER - The city of Boulder's sales- and use-tax collections increased 2.1 percent in July, compared with the same month a year ago, according to the latest report from the city finance department.

Boulder collected $8,713,668 in July compared with the $8,535,347 it collected in July 2011, according to the report. The collection in July represents sales made in June.

Retail sales-tax receipts were up 4.1 percent in July compared with the same month last year. Of the total, eating place sales-tax receipts were up 7.4 percent in July and food store receipts were up 4.6 percent for the same month. Receipts at eating places are seen as a bellwether of the economy, since they're one indicator of consumers' disposable income, the report said.

Apparel sales-tax receipts were down 10.3 percent in July, the report said.

For the year to date, construction use-tax collection through the end of July was down by 7.7 percent compared with the same period in 2011. If Boulder Junction, a development planned on the northwest corner of 30th Street and Pearl Parkway, were excluded, construction use tax would be down by 30.4 percent, the report said. Boulder Junction is slated to include a hotel, stores, housing, an underground bus station and a parking garage.

Motor vehicle use tax revenue was up 21.3 percent for July. New-vehicle tax revenue comes to the city based on whether the vehicle owners live in Boulder, not where vehicles are purchased, the report said.