Last week Georgia Governor Brian Kemp’s office announced the state had taken in $3.59 billion more in taxes — mostly from rising income and retail sales — during the first 11 months of the fiscal year than in the same period last year.

That’s far better than what state officials expected this time last year, when they were cutting spending due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported last week that with the state’s budget year ending June 30,  new tax collection figures suggest the government will run a surplus of more than $3 billion, possibly the largest in Georgia history.

Besides the boon in state tax collections, Georgia is also receiving $4.7 billion  from the latest federal COVID-19 relief plan.