(RALEIGH) -- North Carolina’s revenue collections exceeded projections by $60 million in December. This put state revenue for the first half of the fiscal year at $150 million above projections.

“We still have a long way to go, but these figures suggest that the top-rated business climate and educated, trained workforce we have built over the years is helping our recovery gain traction,” said Gov. Bev Perdue.

State economists report that the recent economic data remains upbeat. The overall revenue outlook for the second half of the fiscal year has improved, but there is some caution as the most volatile revenue sources for the state are collected during the second half of the year.