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 TRENTON
- New Jersey Treasurer John E. McCormac announced today that State revenue
collections for December 2003 totaled approximately $2.44 billion -
$79.5 million, or 3.4 percent ahead of projections for the month.
For
December, Gross Income Tax collections totaled $726.88 million, which
is 2.7 percent ahead of estimates. "Our withholding numbers remain
strong, which means people are working," noted McCormac. The Treasurer
said the performance of income tax collections for the first six months
of the fiscal year - $88.8 million, or three percent, ahead of targets
for the period - "shows another bounce from the economic rebound
we're seeing in New Jersey under Governor McGreevey's leadership."
McCormac
said: "It is clear that we are seeing the fiscal impact from such
indicators as the 40,000 new jobs created in the State over the last
twelve months and the 70,566 new business filings for 2003, another
record high for the calendar year. New Jersey's job growth continues
to outpace the growth rate of our neighboring states, which helps explain
why State revenues are outpacing our projections," McCormac said
Corporation
Business Tax collections remained strong in December, generating $381.6
million in revenues for the month, 11.4 percent above targets. Sales
Tax collections, at $602.4 million for the month, were off by 3.1 percent.
Sales Tax receipts are a reflection of November retail activity because
of the one-month lag between when the tax is charged and when revenues
are remitted to the State. The Treasurer noted that holiday sales got
off to a slow start due to a late November Thanksgiving, and a snowy
weekend at the end of the month. "We are confident, from the information
we have gathered so far from December retail activity, that Sales Tax
numbers will rebound in January."
The
Treasurer cautioned that the good FY 2004 performance does not minimize
the budgetary challenge that the State is facing in FY 2005. "We
utilized $1.5 billion in tobacco proceeds and $400 million in federal
aid, neither of which is likely to materialize again in FY 2005. Growth
in 2004 revenues gives us a greater base in 2005, but not nearly to
the extent needed to offset the one-time revenues this year."
For
the six months ending December 31, 2003, State revenues totaled $11.2
billion - nearly $350 million, or 3.2 percent, above projections. New
Jersey's "Big Three" revenues, Gross Income Tax, Sales Tax,
and Corporation Business Tax, total $3.1 billion, $3.17 billion, and
$976 million, respectively.
"The
Governor has strengthened the state's economy and fostered strong job
growth through a re-tooled business incentive program and targeted investments
in transportation, school construction, job training and brownfields
development. These investments exemplify why New Jersey is a national
leader in new job creation and how they ultimately contribute to the
State's fiscal stability," McCormac said.
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