The Lawrence economy is on pace to post its best sales tax numbers since the boom days of the late 1990s, according to new numbers released by the city today.

Through June, the city’s sales tax collections were up 6.1 percent – or $354,000 – compared to the same period a year ago. The 6.1 percent growth rate would be the highest for a single year since 1998 when collections grew by 7.8 percent. If it finishes the year at that level, it also would mark the first time since 9-11 that collections have grown by more than 5 percent.

The city’s sales tax collections lag actual sales by about two months. In other words, the six sales tax collections for 2006 would include some sales actually made in November and December of 2005, and would not include many sales made in May and June of this year.

For more on the story, tune into 6News at 6 p.m. tonight and pick up a copy of tomorrow’s Journal-World.