SACRAMENTO – During the first month of the 2018-19 fiscal year, California took in less revenue than estimated in the budget enacted at the end of June, State Controller Betty T. Yee reported Friday.
Total revenues of $6.63 billion for July were lower than anticipated by $294.7 million, or 4.3 percent.
While sales taxes missed the mark, personal income tax (PIT) and corporation tax – the other two of the “big three” revenue sources – came in higher than projected.
For July, PIT receipts of $5.22 billion were $231.7 million, or 4.6 percent, more than expected.
July corporation taxes of $446.4 million were $82.2 million, or 22.6 percent, above 2018-19 Budget Act assumptions.
Sales tax receipts of $818.4 million for July were $659.1 million, or 44.6 percent, less than anticipated in the FY 2018-19 budget. Most of the variance was due to when the money was recorded.
At the beginning of FY 2018-19, the state’s General Fund had a positive cash balance of $5.54 billion. Receipts were $3.62 billion less than disbursements in July, which left a cash balance of $1.92 billion at the end of the month.
There was no internal borrowing, which was $2.19 billion less than the 2018-19 Budget Act estimated the state would need by the end of July. Unused borrowable resources were 7.5 percent higher than projected in the budget.