TOPEKA — Kansas is reporting that it collected $54 million less in taxes than anticipated in February, and the shortfall creates new budget complications.
The report Tuesday from the state Department of Revenue came only two weeks after the Republican-dominated Legislature passed a bill to eliminate a projected budget deficit of nearly $200 million for the fiscal year beginning July 1.
But the state now must act again to avoid a deficit on June 30, before the new fiscal year begins.
The department said the state collected $303 million in taxes last month instead of the $357 million projected in a November fiscal forecast. The shortfall is 15 percent.
Since the current fiscal year began in July, the state has collected $3.68 billion in taxes. That’s $80 million less than anticipated.
