State tax collections take a dip in December

By Aaron Gould Sheinin

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

State revenues took a mild tumble in December, as individual income tax collections were down compared to the same month a year ago.

Gov. Nathan Deal's office announced Friday that overall tax collections for December were down 1.2 percent, or $19 million. The governor said individual income and corporate income tax collections were "exceptionally high" in December 2010 because of large audit settlement payments received that month.

In December 2011, however, state sales tax collections continued to grow, besting the 2010 monthly mark by 7.5 percent.

Net tax collections in December stood at $1.54 billion. Through the first six months of the fiscal year, net collections were up 2.5 percent, or $409 million, to $8.25 billion.