As expected.

Preliminary information on taxes collected by DOR for the month of May, 2020, is now available. As anticipated, due to the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on employment and the economy, the May report indicates a continued reduction in collections. May, 2020, preliminary tax collections were $1,261 million, which is $66 million below collections of May, 2019. And, for the 11 months of the current fiscal year, collections are $380 million below those over the same 11 months of 2018-19.

Although collections for May reflect a continued decline, the decline is significantly less than that shown in the April collection report. April, 2020, collections were $870 million below April, 2019, collections. In contrast, the May, 2020, collections are $66 million below those for the same month in 2019.

The decline in May collections is primarily attributable to lower state sales and use taxes, which reflects that the coronavirus pandemic has severely impacted economic activity in the state and tax collections. Reduced collections for the 11 months of the current fiscal year have been affected by the extension of income and franchise tax filing deadlines from April to July 15 in 2020. It is important to note, however, that income and franchise tax returns and estimated payments filed by July 15 will accrue to state fiscal year 2019-20 under the state’s budgetary cash and modified accrual method of accounting.