State government got more of the same as it began its next fiscal year with tax collections pouring in at levels well over those forecast in the current state budget, legislative budget analysts reported Aug. 30.

General fund collections in July, the first month of the 2005-2006 fiscal year, totaled $607.5 million, up $30.6 million over the budget’s forecast for the month and a 15 percent increase over July 2004, the Joint Legislative Budget Committee staff said. The July overall increase represented a continuation of strong growth rates recorded in 2004-2005, the staff noted.

Sales tax collections in July were 13.4 percent more than July 2004 while individual income tax collections were up 24.4 percent though some of that was due to higher withholding rates that were implemented in January, the staff said.

The budget requires that revenue collected above levels forecast in the budget for the current fiscal year be deposited in the Budget Stabilization Fund. —

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