ATLANTA — Georgia tax collections took a nosedive in February.

State money managers reported Friday that revenues plummeted a whopping 34.8 percent, tumbling $336 million from the same month the year before.

Tax collections are down 7.3 percent for the fiscal year set that ends June 30.

Gov. Sonny Perdue already has ordered deep spending cuts to make up the state's widening budget gap. He warned earlier this week that February's numbers would be grim.

He said the state has seen a surge in Georgians filing tax returns earlier, which has meant the state has been sending more tax returns out the door.