State Tax Collections Up This Year

Massachusetts is reporting April tax collections that were up more than 14 percent compared with what the state took in last April.

Revenue Commissioner Amy Pitter said Tuesday that preliminary revenue collections came in $359 million higher.  Pitter said strong payments with 2012 income tax returns and 2013 quarterly estimated tax bills offset a shortfall in withholding, sales and estate tax collections.

Pitter said that helped the state end the month $153 million above official projections.  Tax collections so far this fiscal year total more than $18.1 billion.  That's $941 million or 5.5 percent more than a year ago and $510 million above the state's year-to-date benchmark.

April is historically the largest tax collection month of the year because payments with income tax returns for the previous year are due April 16. (Associated Press)