According to a Certification Revenue Estimate released today by the Comptroller's office, "revenue collections in fiscal 2011 were stronger than expected, coinciding with the Texas economy moving more fully into recovery and significant job growth in the state."
The report, written for Governor Rick Perry and members of the Texas legislature, says the state will have access to an estimated total of $82.7 billion in general revenue, yielding a surplus of about $1.6 billion over the 2012-2013 biennium.
The report also praised Texas as a recession anomaly, noting that, as of October 2011, the state "has recovered 94% of the jobs lost during the recession; the U.S. just 27%."