State Revenues Continue To Grow

State revenues continued to grow last month. The State Revenue Department has released February’s revenue numebrs, and they show total revenue is up 7.8 percent for the fiscal year to date. That number includes a $95-Million payment from the federal govenment to help offset losses due to the federal tax cuts. That would make the actual revenue growth closer to 5.4 percent. State Revenue Director Carol Fischer is happy with the figures, but worries higher-than-expected refunds and lower collections could offset gains seen so far. Republican lawmakers had budgeted for about five percent growth in revenues this fiscal year. Governor Bob Holden had called that too optimistic and withheld education money last summer.