Idaho beats revenue forecast

BOISE (AP) - Idaho state government's tax receipts beat forecasts for a second straight month.

The state booked $5.7 million more than anticipated in August, after taking in $4.5 million more in July than had been predicted.

That puts total Idaho tax revenue for the two-month period at $389.8 million, above the $379.6 million forecast.

Chief economist Mike Ferguson said while economic growth has recently slowed, the nation isn't expected to slip into another recession.

Ferguson has predicted Idaho's modest economic recovery should help state government finish the fiscal year with $80 million more in tax revenue than the 2010 Legislature predicted.

If monthly numbers continue to beat expectations, it could exceed that.

Still, these most recent revenue figures, while positive, represent just two months of the fiscal year.