Tax collections exceeded expectations in December, the first time that's happened this fiscal year.

State leaders say the underwhelming revenues are a result of explainable outside forces.

November's collections put the state nearly $150 million below target through five months of the fiscal year. That's despite a second consecutive month of positive performances from both sales and individual income taxes.

Total Indiana tax revenues have lagged in each of the four months of the fiscal year that began in July.

The first two months of the fiscal year put the state more than $40 million below expectations. September made it more than twice as bad.

Indiana continues to struggle in its new fiscal year as revenues came in below expectations in August.

Individual income tax collections have now failed to meet expected levels in seven months over the last year.

October marks eight consecutive months in which the state's collections have failed to meet expectations.

Individual income tax revenue was better than expected, but corporate income tax and sales tax revenues were below projections in July.

Indiana is riding a poor streak heading into the last month of the current fiscal year. The state's tax collections have fallen short of the mark three months in a row.