JOHN HANNA, AP Political Writer

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators hope the state is collecting as much in taxes this month as expected or even a little more. But they acknowledge a month of stable revenues won’t make closing a projected budget shortfall much easier.

The state Department of Revenue planned to release its monthly report on tax collections Friday.

From the start of the current fiscal year in July 2014 through January, the $3.3 billion in tax collections were $66 million short of expectations, or about 1.5 percent.

Department spokeswoman Jeannine Koranda said Thursday it was still too early to tell whether revenues would meet expectations.

The lower-than-anticipated revenues are a factor in the projected deficit of nearly $600 million in the state budget for the next fiscal year beginning July 1.