NASHVILLE (AP) — Tax collections for Tennessee's general fund have beaten expectations by $184 million through the first quarter of the budget year.

Through the first three months of fiscal year, corporate franchise and excise taxes have exceeded projections by $93 million and sales tax collections were $86 million more than the budgeted amount.

Sales taxes collections in October grew by 4.5 percent compared with the same year-ago period. But corporate tax collections dropped 14. 5 percent, which Finance Commissioner Larry Martin attributed to businesses requesting refunds for previous overpayments.

Tennessee ended the last budget year on June 30 with a general fund surplus of $852 million.