Mississippi tax collections increased during the state budget year that ended June 30, driven in part by people shopping online during the coronavirus pandemic. Photo courtesy Rupixen on Unsplash

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi tax collections increased during the state budget year that ended June 30, driven in part by people shopping online during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Joint Legislative Budget Committee and the state Department of Revenue released figures Tuesday.

They said the state collected nearly 16% more in taxes than the year before. That is an increase of more than $924 million.

Tax collections took a hit during the final months of the budget year that ended June 30, 2020, because of uncertainty caused by the beginning of the pandemic.

The figures rebounded in most categories during the year that recently ended.

Sales taxes paid on in-person purchases increased 4% over the previous year. Use taxes, paid for online purchases, increased 20%.

Taxes paid on the purchase of liquor increased nearly 23% over the previous year, and taxes paid on beer and wine increased nearly 6%.

Taxes collected by Mississippi casinos increased nearly 39% from one year to the next. The state's casinos were ordered to close from late March to late May 2020 because of the pandemic. They have been doing brisk business in recent months.