Congratulations, Utahns. Together you paid just over $260 million more in state taxes and fees than you needed to.

Your generosity is appreciated.

A final — but not yet official — Utah State Tax Commission report for fiscal 2006-07 shows that tax revenues in the state's two main funds have a $260.76 million surplus.

That is, when legislators set the fiscal 2007 budget, which ended June 30, 18 months ago and then updated the spending last February, they were conservative — well, at least conservative in their tax collections estimates, if not actually in their spending.

So, as Utah's hot economy continued to churn out extra tax revenues over the past 12 months, more money came in than was approved for spending.

It is unclear if you will get another tax cut from lawmakers next year, however.

They've reduced taxes by a combined $300 million over the past two years. And more tax cuts will come in 2008 from reductions approved earlier.

All 75 House members, half of the 29-member Senate and Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. are all up for election in 2008.

But Huntsman has already said he won't recommend another tax cut in 2008. He wants anticipated growth in tax revenue to go for higher public education teacher salaries and to help cut green house gases.

With another healthy tax surplus this past fiscal year and growing tax revenues for 2008-09, conservative legislators may want to trim taxes again, even if Huntsman doesn't.

One thing you won't see is tax cuts in motor fuel taxes.

Legislators heard Tuesday that the current 24.5 cent per gallon state gasoline tax is not bringing in near enough revenue to reconstruct and expand Utah roads. The list is long.

While a $260 million tax surplus is good news. The real tax surplus is actually larger than that.

The Tax Commission's monthly TC23 revenue report, which included all 12 months for fiscal 2007, only includes taxes that are not earmarked for special funds or programs.

If a special fee brought in more money than budgeted for in that fee's program, that extra money would not be counted in the TC23 report. How much that surplus may be is unknown at this time.

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E-mail: bbjr@desnews.com