Sales tax and banking figures released last week indicate that Middletown's July business activity dipped slightly below the June pace. These same figures, however, reveal a clouded picture of where business stands in relation to July, 1952. Sales tax receipts are up, but bank debits and deposits are down. At the same time, reports from the building commissioner’s office showed a marked increase in city construction. Orville Corson, building commissioner, reports an increase of building permits from 92 in June to 105 in July. The number of new homes to be built almost doubled, while the value of permits jumped from $396,366 to $684,831. The July figure is almost three times the value of permits for the same month in 1952 and higher than any recorded so far this year. It is swelled somewhat, however, by permits issued for two city fire stations...

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