HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania closed December with a strong revenue surge, collecting $5.0 billion in General Fund revenue, beating projections by $238.5 million, or 5 percent, state officials said, signaling solid fiscal momentum as the personal income tax filing season approaches.
Revenue Secretary Pat Browne reported that fiscal year-to-date General Fund collections now total $21.5 billion, running $238.7 million, or 1.1 percent, above estimate halfway through the current fiscal year.
“We’re in a very strong position halfway through the current fiscal year,” Browne said. “We’re seeing positive results from some of our major revenue sources, which contributed to the surplus in December General Fund collections. This is a good place for us to be with the personal income tax filing season right around the corner.”
Sales tax receipts totaled $1.3 billion in December, exceeding estimates by $45.3 million. For the fiscal year to date, sales tax collections stand at $7.8 billion, or $45.3 million above projections.
Personal income tax revenue reached $1.6 billion for the month, $86.6 million above estimate, pushing year-to-date collections to $8.4 billion, which is $86.5 million, or 1 percent, ahead of forecast.
Corporation tax revenue also outperformed expectations, totaling $981.1 million in December, $57.7 million above estimate. Fiscal year-to-date corporation tax collections now stand at $2.3 billion, exceeding projections by $57.6 million, or 2.6 percent.
Inheritance tax revenue for the month came in at $143.9 million, $9.4 million above estimate, bringing the year-to-date total to $872.5 million, or 1.1 percent above forecast. Realty transfer tax revenue reached $66.7 million in December, surpassing estimates by $12.5 million, with fiscal year totals at $304.5 million, or 4.3 percent higher than anticipated.
Other General Fund tax revenue, including cigarette, malt beverage, liquor, and gaming taxes, totaled $180.7 million for the month, $28.1 million above estimate. Year-to-date collections in this category reached $846.1 million, exceeding projections by $28.5 million, or 3.5 percent.
Non-tax revenue totaled $703.7 million in December, slightly below estimate by $1.1 million. Fiscal year-to-date non-tax revenue stands at $1.0 billion, or 0.1 percent below forecast.
Budget Secretary Zachary Reber said the numbers reflect a broader trend of fiscal stability and economic growth. “Our revenue collections are off to another strong start this fiscal year, which continues the positive trend we’ve seen since Governor Shapiro took office,” Reber said. “The Governor has prioritized sound fiscal management while launching a strong economic development strategy, contributing to a growing economy. These actions are paying off and strengthening the Commonwealth’s financial future.”
Beyond the General Fund, the Motor License Fund received $229.9 million in December, $1.3 million below estimate. Fiscal year-to-date collections for the fund total $1.6 billion, running $3.2 million, or 0.2 percent, under estimate.
State officials said the December results place the Commonwealth on firm financial footing as it heads into the second half of the fiscal year.
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