While I find the "science" of budgetary decisions to be FAR more complicated than string theory, (AND NO I do NOT claim to understand string theory at all), It may be possible the tax was established as a way to address projected budget shortfalls..... You may not like predicted budgets, but they are neccesarry-

Now was that tax the best way to go- certainly not... but may some local governments have planned based on it yes, was that smart? No, was that all they could do given the incompetence above them? Yes...

What am I trying to get across? Just This: <sigh>... the upper incompetents make rules based on stupidity, the lower incompetents make plans based on these rules, the upper incompetents get replaced by more popular incompetents, they change the rules and the lower incompetents are left confused! Damn aint politics great?! Its kinda like 'Survivor' cept it is boring, unfunny,the characters are less talented, and these morons make decisions that influence our lives...

ONE QUESTION: OF ALL THE POLITICIANS YOU KNOW, HOW MANY WOULD YOU THINK WOULD PROVIDE AN INTERESTING CONVERSATION? I cant think of any...on either side of the political fence... See, I am "fair and balanced(Tm), (I have paid the $30 to use that phrase)"... (I am in a lawsuit with Fox)

I lived in CA. a year- I just escaped before all the real insanity went loose... Move Tom, the earthquakes are part of the earths way of warning those who are sane to move before it drops into the sea with the nuts... and with 'Conan the Republican' comes the the seventh sign... you have little time Tom... The end is nigh!!!