State tax collections were up again in October, continuing a trend that began over the summer as Georgia’s economy picked up.

Collections for October were up 1.8% over October 2019, about $35 million. For the first four months of fiscal 2021, which began July 1, they are up 5.1%, or $400 million.

That’s better than many lawmakers expected in June, when they passed a budget that cut more than $2 billion in spending — including $950 million in basic k-12 school funding.

In October, income tax collections were off, but the net take from sales taxes improved almost 10%. The state gets most of its revenue from sales and income taxes.

Alcoholic beverage tax collections were up 21.4%, continuing a trend that started with the COVID-19 pandemic. That may get a boost from the recent startup of home delivery of alcoholic beverages under a law legislators passed in June.

The hospitality industry has been hammered by the pandemic, and hotel-motel fees were off 24.1% in October. That’s actually an improvement over some months earlier this year.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Chad White, a student at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, speaks to high school students and parents about his experience at West Point. U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff and Rep. Hank Johnson are in attendance.

Credit: Ashley Ahn

Featured

U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., speaks during a town hall on Friday, April 25, 2025, in Atlanta at the Cobb County Civic Center. (Jason Allen/Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Credit: Jason Allen/AJC