COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- State personal income tax collections in Ohio are up nearly 7 percent more than forecast, giving the state's surplus fund a boost.

For April, when most people file their tax returns, state tax receipts exceeded projections by $84 million.

That pushed the state's surplus revenue to $350 million this fiscal year.

State Budget Director Tim Keen downplayed the strong showing, telling The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer (http://bit.ly/JKkZiW ) that tax receipts were "modestly" above the estimates.

The rising surplus has grabbed the attention of state lawmakers and pet spending projects. One option is additional state aid to schools and local governments.

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Information from: The Plain Dealer, http://www.cleveland.com