Hand in your overdue sales taxes, or close up shop.

That’s the choice being handed to more than 1,200 businesses, as the state looks to collect what it’s owed.

Mike Suriani owns an electrical supply company in South Providence. He tells the Providence Journal he received a visit from taxation officials, despite having paid his taxes – “albeit a little late.”

“I understand the state needs money, but to put pressure on the small guy or the moderate guy that’s struggling, it’s not going to do any good,” he says. “Yes, the rules state that we have a responsibility to pay our bills every quarter. But when your customers come in and they don’t pay you for a month, and then another month, and another month, businesses have no choice [in] the eyes of the state but to close up and get out.”

State officials say they’ve given businesses plenty of notice that they’re falling behind.

Tax Administrator David Sullivan and Department of Revenue Director Gary Sasse told the ProJo that this is the fourth year the state is working to collect overdue sales taxes from Rhode Island businesses. [PROJO]