RTD’s sales tax revenue for January retreated slightly after two months of gains, even as Colorado’s statewide sales tax collections for January retail sales went up two percent.

RTD’s sales tax revenue inched forward for December retail sales, the second month of growth in a row. But it was a small advance – three-tenths of a percent when compared on the same basis with a year earlier.

RTD’s sales tax collections for July dropped 11.4 percent compared with July a year ago, continuing the trend that has hit all public agencies in Colorado and nationwide since the market meltdown September accelerated the impact of the national recession.

If there is any good news for RTD in the latest figures, it is that the $31.27 million in sales taxes it collected for July was 4.6 percent higher than it expected in its revised budget, and year-to-date is 0.7 percent higher than the lowered budget projections — an indication RTD might have found the bottom of the pit after nearly a year of economic volatility.

Public agencies in Colorado and nationwide that depend on sales taxes have taken similar hits.

RTD’s budget was amended earlier this year when the recession put sales tax revenues into free-fall. July figures show RTD might have found the trajectory in its new forecasts.