TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Florida economists are predicting that the state's tax collections will continue to grow over the next three years.
    
Tax collections since this past summer have been slightly higher than expected. It's a sign that the state's economy continues to slowly recover from the recession. Economists meeting Friday will draw up new forecasts.
    
Preliminary numbers prepared for the meeting show that economists expect tax collections to grow by at least 5 percent this year and at least 4 percent during the 2013-14 fiscal year.
    
Gov. Rick Scott will rely on the forecast as he draws up his budget recommendations for next year.
    
But economists warn that outside factors could harm the state's economy. That includes the stalemate in Washington, D.C., over what to do about looming tax hikes and spending cuts.

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