State tax revenues saw
34% jump last month

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Star-Bulletin

Tax revenues of $287.2 million went into the state general fund in December, up $73.4 million or 34.3 percent from the $213.8 billion collected in December 2001.

The state Department of Taxation said some of the increase was because Nov. 30 fell on a Saturday and some of the November general excise tax take was not deposited until after the weekend, placing it in the December total.

The total for the July-December first half of the current fiscal year, $1.6 billion, was up 4.4 percent over the $1.53 billion collected for the first half of the last fiscal year.

The state Council on Revenues, in its last estimate in September, predicted a 6.1 percent rise in tax revenues for the full fiscal year that ends June 30.

The council's next report is due tomorrow.

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State of Hawaii