RICHMOND -- The Virginia Department of Taxation has issued nearly all the state income tax refunds from 2008.

Gov. Tim Kaine said Tuesday that the department has issued more than 2.6 million refunds, totaling more than $1.6 billion. That's an increase of about 94,000 refunds and $215 million compared with the previous year.

Officials said that the average refund was about $627, an increase of about 11 percent over the year before.

About 63 percent of returns were filed electronically, compared with 56 percent last year. Officials said that has allowed the department to issue 82 percent of refunds within 12 days and 96 percent within 30 days.

-- Associated Press