JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - The state budget director said increases in Missouri's revenues are holding steady at close to a 5 percent growth from last year.
Budget Director Linda Luebbering on Tuesday reported 4.9 percent growth in general revenue this fiscal year, close to Gov. Jay Nixon's estimate of 4.6 percent.
Nixon's used that number to guide spending restrictions on hundreds of millions of dollars approved for use by the Legislature last session. Luebbering says about $690 million is still being withheld.
The Tuesday announcement also notes February's revenues increased 4.4 percent compared to the same time last year.
Individual income tax collections grew 5.6 percent in February and 6.4 percent so far this fiscal year.
Meanwhile, Missouri unemployment rate increased slightly in January to 5.5 percent while the state's nonfarm employment went up 14,300 jobs.
The state Department of Economic Development on Tuesday released data showing the seasonally adjusted jobless rate increased from 5.4 percent in December.
Unemployment had been dropping slightly in recent months and reached its lowest rate since April 2008 in December.
The increase in unemployment matches a national growth in January, taking the country's unemployment up to 5.7 percent from 5.6 percent in December.
The report also shows Missouri's nonfarm employment has grown by 43,200 jobs in the past year.