Our reporter may have gotten further than state Treasury Department officials. "The state has never contacted us about this matter," Sony's Tushar Mehta told NJBIZ when asked about the back taxes. That's despite two court judgments New Jersey won against Sony Precision Technology Inc. in 2006 and 2007.

Tax revenue easily could decline this year - sales tax could shrink as people cut back on purchases; payroll tax could drop as job losses continue.

Delinquency