AUGUSTA – An improving economy and a state spending cap allowed Gov. John Baldacci to make a first-ever announcement in his administration: the state has a budget surplus.

Baldacci said it’s not yet known how the surplus will impact next year’s expected deficit. State economic forecasters will come out with new numbers in October, he said.

New figures from the fiscal year that just closed are projecting a $45 million surplus, Baldacci said Thursday. That projection represents a big change from his campaign and his two-and-a-half years in office, in which all budget talk has been of cuts and deficits.

“We’re pleased,” Baldacci said in a telephone interview. “We have more work to do,” he said, emphasizing state government will not go on a spending spree and will use the money to pay down debt and beef up savings.

“We’re going to continue to sharpen the pencil and stretch dollars,” Baldacci said.

“We’re turning the ship in the right direction, but we need to continue work on our economic plan, of getting better utilization of services, the merger of the departments of Human Services and Behavioral and Developmental Services,” he said. All that will help to gradually lower Maine’s tax burden and attract jobs, he said.

As the fiscal year closed Wednesday, preliminary figures show the state collected more taxes than anticipated, Baldacci said. The $45 million surplus comes from:

• $11.5 million more in sales tax;

• $25.3 million more in income tax;

• $8 million more in corporate income tax.

“The top three lines came in better than expected,” Baldacci said, adding that more details will be given at a 9 a.m. news conference Friday.

Because lawmakers passed a budget stabilization plan that capped state spending, surplus money will be directed to the state’s Rainy Day Fund and to pay down debt, Baldacci said. It’s important to build the state’s savings for when times aren’t good, something that will help programs and “showcase to the financial institutions that we’re putting reserves aside and paying back on the unfunded retirement,” he said.

Recalling his gubernatorial campaign and early days in office, Baldacci said his administration’s first job, which was accomplished, was to close a projected $1.2 billion deficit without raising broad-based taxes.

“We started out with what some people felt was challenging and daunting,” he said. “By having a good economic plan and holding the line on our tax burden, we’ve been able to see our economy grow while taking care of our basic needs,” and doing things like establishing a community college and a first-in-the-national health care program.

House Speaker Patrick Colwell, D-Gardiner, noted that the $45 million surplus is small when considering the size of the annual $2.7 billion state budget. “But this is good news,” Colwell said Thursday. “Clearly the fiscal responsibility we’ve exhibited in the last two years, known as very tough budget decisions, are paying off. Maine’s economy is starting to rebound. That’s good for everyone.”

Colwell agreed that the fiscally responsible thing to do is use the surplus for savings and debt. “The real story is when we made the tough choices, this is why we have this small cushion,” Colwell said.