State government revenue collections in December increased by 9.5 percent over the previous year, Gov. Bob McDonnell announced.

The increase, adjusted for a December 2009 one-time tax amnesty program, means this is the ninth month out of the last 10 in which state revenue collection exceeded the previous year’s amount. It is the second consecutive month in which revenue growth was greater than 9 percent compared with the prior year.

The revenue increase was primarily driven by withholding, corporate income and sales tax collections, the governor’s office said Thursday.

McDonnell said the growth in revenues reflected economic progress. But he said there is “a long way to go before economic prosperity and vitality have truly returned to every corner of the Commonwealth.”

– Jennie Lynn Price, Capital News Service