DC Mayor Anthony Williams is asking for tax increases for Washington DC. Specifically, he is asking for a $1 per pack cigarette tax increase, and a 'temporary' income tax increase for anyone making more than $50,000 per year. The Washington Post points out that this is a different approach than both Maryland and Virginia are taking to balance their budget, where deep spending cuts are being implemented.

The staff writers here at Ravenwood's Universe note that no tax increases are ever temporary. As soon as it is time to lower the tax rate back down to the previous level, you'll hear cries from the left to "give tax cuts to those who need tax cuts," and "you rich greedy bastard."

Meanwhile, the CATO Institute points out that some state governments have managed to "outspend even Bill Clinton" in the 1990s, with state spending growing twice as fast as the federal budget in the late 1990s.