INCOME TAXES (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Components of income tax expense (benefit)

(In thousands)			2017		2016		2015
Current income taxes:
Federal			$	22,355	$	18,699	$	17,890
State				5,146		4,692		4,140
	Total current			27,501		23,391		22,030
Deferred income taxes:
Federal				6,973		516		10
State				252		(167)		(13)
	Total deferred			7,225		349		(3)
		Total income tax expense	$	34,726	$	23,740	$	22,027

Deferred tax assets and liabilities

(In thousands)				2017		2016
Deferred Tax Assets:
	Allowance for loan losses			$	12,024	$	17,517
	Employee benefits				1,398		2,034
	Pension plan OCI				3,318		5,433
	Deferred loan fees and costs				416		457
	Non-qualified stock option expense				429		555
	Losses on other real estate owned				42		43
	Other than temporary impairment				217		322
	Loan and deposit premium/discount				91		187
	Reserve for recourse loans				133		199
	Merger Expenses				299		-
	Other				7		9
		Gross deferred tax assets			18,374		26,756
Deferred Tax Liabilities:
	Unrealized gains on investments available-for-sale				(307)		(1,065)
	Pension plan costs				(2,735)		(3,550)
	Depreciation				(1,852)		(1,179)
	Intangible assets				(1,264)		(1,721)
	Bond accretion				(146)		(133)
	Other				(204)		(155)
		Gross deferred tax liabilities			(6,508)		(7,803)
			Net deferred tax asset	$	11,866	$	18,953

Reconcilements between statutory federal income tax rate and effective tax rate

(Dollars in thousands)			2017				2016				2015
					Percentage of				Percentage of				Percentage of
					Pre-Tax				Pre-Tax				Pre-Tax
			Amount		Income		Amount		Income		Amount		Income
Income tax expense at federal statutory rate			$	30,776	35.0	%	$	25,194	35.0	%	$	23,584	35.0	%
Increase (decrease) resulting from:
	Tax exempt income, net			(3,929)	(4.5)			(3,606)	(5.0)			(3,457)	(5.1)
	Bank-owned life insurance			(841)	(0.9)			(862)	(1.1)			(900)	(1.3)
	State income taxes, net of federal income tax benefits			3,508	4.0			2,965	4.1			2,687	4.0
	Federal tax rate change			5,544	6.3			-	-			-	-
	Other, net			(332)	(0.4)			49	-			113	0.1
		Total income tax expense and rate	$	34,726	39.5	%	$	23,740	33.0	%	$	22,027	32.7	%