Kansas reported Thursday that it collected nearly $27 million more in taxes than anticipated in February.
The report from the state Department of Revenue was more good news for legislators as they face a Kansas Supreme Court mandate to increase spending on public schools. It was the ninth consecutive month that tax collections have exceeded expectations.
“There is a growing sense of optimism reflected in tax receipts, but we have to be patient for April receipts to accurately identify economic growth,” Revenue Secretary Sam Williams said in a statement. “Hopefully this is a sign that businesses are making investments, and Kansans are buying more goods and services.”
The state reported collecting $373 million in taxes last month when its official projections predicted collections of $346 million. The monthly surplus was 7.7 percent.
Since the fiscal year began in July, the state has collected $4.3 billion in taxes. That's $275 million more than expected and a surplus of 6.8 percent.
