By GARRY RAYNO, InDepthNH.org

CONCORD - State revenues concluded the fiscal year on solid ground with a $182 million surplus, yet final accounting adjustments will probably alter the totals ahead of the state annual comprehensive financial audit.

During fiscal 2026 the state benefited from an unexpected $104 million gain via a tax amnesty initiative along with stronger than projected Lottery Commission proceeds, insurance premium collections, earnings on invested funds, real estate transfers, and business tax receipts, producing a surplus after the prior year sizable shortfall.

Overall the state gathered $3.82 billion on a cash basis for the general and education trust funds combined, an increase of $143 million compared with fiscal 2025 collections.

In June alone the state took in $357.6 million, exceeding budget estimates by $25.6 million and surpassing the prior year figure by $19.2 million.

Business taxes, which trailed projections for much of the year, closed strongly with $190 million collected in June, beating estimates by $25.7 million and rising $9.6 million above the previous June.

The Department of Revenue Administration attributed the gain to higher estimated payments and fewer refunds than the year before.

Business taxes for the full 2026 fiscal year reached $1.14 billion, topping estimates by $34 million and exceeding last year collections by $13.1 million.

The rooms and meals tax, the state second largest revenue source, generated $30.4 million in June, $1.8 million above estimates and $1 million more than a year earlier.

Officials noted a 2.1 percent drop in meal gross receipts and a 2.7 percent decline in hotel gross receipts.

For the full fiscal year the tax yielded $348.4 million, falling $2.6 million short of estimates yet rising $10.5 million over the prior year.

The real estate transfer tax brought in $19.7 million during June, surpassing estimates by $1 million and exceeding last year by $2.5 million.

Officials reported a 2.2 percent decrease in transaction volume offset by a 13.6 percent rise in property values.

Over the fiscal year the tax produced $230.7 million, beating estimates by $16.3 million and topping the prior year by $29.7 million.

Lottery commission transfers reached $34.4 million in June, $2.4 million above estimates but $3.5 million below the previous June.

For the full year the commission transferred $251 million to the Education Trust Fund, exceeding estimates by $58.2 million and surpassing last year by $40.6 million.

Newly established video lottery terminals generated $6 million in June, falling $3.3 million short of projections.

For the fiscal year the terminals contributed $22 million in state revenue, missing estimates by $21.6 million.

The insurance tax produced $2.5 million in June, $100,000 below the prior year amount.

Over the full fiscal year the tax yielded $195.5 million, exceeding estimates by $14.3 million and rising $30.5 million above last year.

The tobacco tax generated $16 million in June, surpassing estimates by $1.9 million and exceeding the prior year by $3.3 million.

For the fiscal year the levy produced $182.6 million, beating estimates by $5.6 million and rising $2 million over last year.

The other category, which has outperformed estimates in recent years largely due to interest income on invested surplus and federal COVID related funds, produced $33.8 million in June, falling $3.8 million short of estimates and $3.1 million below the prior year. For the full 2026 fiscal year the category produced $162.7 million, exceeding estimates by $27 million yet falling $21.6 million below last year.

Revenues from the liquor commission along with beer and communications taxes all came in below monthly estimates.

The Highway Fund, funded mainly by the gas tax and vehicle registrations, produced $25.2 million in June, exceeding estimates by $2.2 million and surpassing the prior year by $2.6 million.

For the year to date the fund totaled $273.2 million, beating estimates by $4.6 million and exceeding last year by the same margin.

The Fish and Game Fund, supported by fishing and hunting licenses, collected $2.2 million in June, surpassing estimates by $400,000 and exceeding the prior year by $600,000.

For the fiscal year the fund collected $14.5 million, beating estimates by $500,000 yet falling $100,000 below last year.

The 2026 fiscal year closed on June 30 while the 2027 fiscal year opened on July 1.

Garry Rayno may be reached at garry.rayno@yahoo.com