State tax collections jump in April

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Indiana's state tax collections are now slightly ahead of projections for the budget year after a big revenue jump during April.

Figures released Friday by the State Budget Agency show tax revenues for last month came in about $159 million, or 9 percent, ahead of projections and about 25 percent more than what the state collected in April 2011.

The state had fallen behind its revenue projections with weak collections in January and February, but it is now slightly ahead 10 months into the budget year.

State budget director Adam Horst attributes some of the April revenue growth to faster processing of income tax returns and that May's revenue could decline because of fewer payments being processed.