In Nevada, taxable sales dropped 17.7 percent statewide in September from the same month last year, the Department of Taxation reported Tuesday.

Stephen Miller, chairman of the economics department at UNLV, said the latest numbers point to the need for long-term changes. People are buying more goods over the Internet and avoiding taxes for local and state government, he said.

Congress needs to push through legislation to collect sales taxes on those transactions, Miller said.

In addition, Miller said, more money is going for services, rather than goods. So the state Legislature needs to consider eliminating some of the sales tax exemptions for services to broaden the tax base, he said.