January 2, 2014

State Collects 1.6 Percent Less Than Anticipated In December

Pennsylvania collected $2.4 billion in General Fund revenue in December, which was $40 million, or 1.6 percent, less than anticipated, Secretary of Revenue Daniel Meuser reported Thursday. Fiscal year-to-date General Fund collections total $12.3 billion, which is $2.6 million above estimate.
Sales tax receipts totaled $769.3 million for December, $30.8 million below estimate. Year-to-date sales tax collections total $4.6 billion, which is $15.4 million, or 0.3 percent, less than anticipated.
Personal income tax revenue in December was $862.9 million, $23.9 million below estimate. This brings year-to-date PIT collections to $4.9 billion, which is $29.3 million, or 0.6 percent, below estimate.
December corporation tax revenue of $508.4 million was $42.4 million above estimate. Year-to-date corporation tax collections total $1.3 billion, which is $57.9 million, or 4.6 percent, above estimate.
Inheritance tax revenue for the month was $58.6 million, $21.8 million below estimate, bringing the year-to-date total to $413.2 million, which is $5.8 million, or 1.4 percent, below estimate.
Realty transfer tax revenue was $27.9 million for December, $11.2 million below estimate, bringing the fiscal-year total to $201.3 million, which is $6.9 million, or 3.3 percent, less than anticipated.
Other General Fund tax revenue, including cigarette, malt beverage, liquor and table games taxes, totaled $133 million for the month, $8.2 million below estimate and bringing the year-to-date total to $743.9 million, which is $8.2 million, or 1.1 percent, below estimate.
Non-tax revenue totaled $31.1 million for the month, $13.3 million above estimate, bringing the year-to-date total to $108.6 million, which is $10.3 million, or 10.4 percent, above estimate.
In addition to the General Fund collections, the Motor License Fund received $162 million for the month, $7.3 million above estimate. Fiscal year-to-date collections for the fund – which include the commonly known gas and diesel taxes, as well as other license, fine and fee revenues – total $1.1 billion, which is $9.8 million, or 0.8 percent, below estimate.