October 1, 2018

September State Revenues 6.4 Percent Over Estimates, Up $209.8 Million For Fiscal Year

Pennsylvania collected $3 billion in General Fund revenue in September, which was $183.8 million, or 6.4 percent, more than anticipated, Revenue Secretary Dan Hassell reported Monday. Fiscal year-to-date General Fund collections total $7.6 billion, which is $209.8 million, or 2.9 percent, above estimate.
Overall tax revenue collected in the first quarter of the 2018-19 fiscal year is $608.1 million more, or 8.8 percent, than was collected in the first quarter of the last fiscal year.
Sales tax receipts totaled $900.8 million for September, $32.1 million above estimate. Year-to-date sales tax collections total $2.8 billion, which is $67.7 million, or 2.5 percent, more than anticipated.
Personal income tax (PIT) revenue in September was $1.2 billion, $14.8 million below estimate. This brings year-to-date PIT collections to $3 billion, which is $35.4 million, or 1.2 percent, below estimate.
September corporation tax revenue of $647 million was $135.3 million above estimate. Year-to-date corporation tax collections total $830.3 million, which is $169.3 million, or 25.6 percent, above estimate.
Inheritance tax revenue for the month was $82.5 million, $6.5 million above estimate, bringing the year-to-date total to $258.6 million, which is $6 million, or 2.4 percent, above estimate.
Realty transfer tax revenue was $40.5 million for September, $5.1 million below estimate, bringing the fiscal-year total to $131.4 million, which is $4.2 million, or 3.1 percent, less than anticipated.
Other General Fund tax revenue, including cigarette, malt beverage, liquor and gaming taxes, totaled $153.9 million for the month, $12.3 million below estimate and bringing the year-to-date total to $447.6 million, which is $2.1 million, or 0.5 percent, below estimate.
Non-tax revenue totaled $35.4 million for the month, $42 million above estimate, bringing the year-to-date total to $74.3 million, which is $8.5 million, or 13 percent, above estimate.
In addition to the General Fund collections, the Motor License Fund received $228.5 million for the month, $1.1 million above estimate. Fiscal year-to-date collections for the fund — which includes the commonly known gas and diesel taxes, as well as other license, fine and fee revenues — total $710.8 million, which is $12.1 million, or 1.7 percent, below estimate.