RALEIGH, N.C. AP – North Carolina’s tax office has taken in much more money through a special collection effort than promised last summer, the state’s top tax collector said, and surely will ease a revenue shortfall for the next six months.

Revenue Secretary Kenneth Lay on Tuesday said his department collected $427.2 million in back taxes from 236 corporate entities by Dec. 15 following negotiations with companies that had disputes over their tax bills.