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Prepare to pay more for almost everything.  That's the message as governments look for new sources of revenue.  Reports ABC News:

In Chicago, surveillance cameras may someday help the city to fine more uninsured drivers. In Ohio, a city court is limiting its new cases because it can't afford more printer paper. In California, there's a loud call to tax marijuana sales. And in Georgia, one lawmaker says he's not giving up on his proposal for a state strip club surcharge.

Across the country, these and other unusual money-saving and money-making efforts have been volleyed by government officials desperate for funding.

"A new wave of creativity is sweeping across budget offices these days," said Pat Hagan, national audit partner for state and local governments at Deloitte and Touche LLP.

Because the recession has cut so sharply into property tax, sales tax and income tax revenues, Hagan said, state and local officials are looking for nontraditional sources of cash such as strip club taxes.

"There are funny stories, although they're quite serious topics," he said.

Among the efforts drawing the most attention are so-called "sin taxes" -- taxes on products or services that many associate with vices like alcohol, smoking, pornography, strip club visits and in Nevada's case, prostitution.

View all comments (4) | Leave a comment

Pingback| 3.23.09 @ 8:40AM

Beware the Taxman: He Comes for Thee — But As For Me links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

Beware the Taxman: He Comes for Thee — But As For Me .addtoany_share_save img{border:0;} _qoptions={ qacct:"p-d8ipuL9esDVMw" }; var sc_project=4273169; var sc_invisible=1; var sc_partition=48; var sc_click_stat=1; var sc_security="7dc50185"; var gaJsHost…

Eric Dondero| 3.23.09 @ 9:11AM

It's funny how Doug Bandow has become an all of a sudden rightwing libertarian patriot. Just a mere few months ago, Bandow was mercissly bashing Bush, and Republicans for their "massive spending," and "stupid foreign interventionist policies."

Now we have Obama, whose spending trillions more than Bush ever dreamed of, and surrending to Islamo-Fascism worldwide.

And johhny-come-latelys like Bandow are trying to jump on the Bash Obama bandwagon.

Hey, those of us who've been shouting from the rooftops for months now that Obama was a Communist totalitarian, are happy to have the Bandows now on board.

But a little mea culpa from his camp of "purity driven" libertarians, might be appropriate.

Pingback| 3.23.09 @ 11:15AM

Punch drunk love for a Monday | And Still I Persist links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…Maud Olofsson, put it recently, “The Swedish state is not prepared to own car factories.” ITEM: Democrat . . . tax problems . . . where have we heard this before? ITEM: Speaking of taxes – the Power to Tax, part II . OVERNIGHT LINKS (actually, “really early morning links”) ITEM: Daily “What if Bush had done this?” moment: Obama laughs on “60 Minutes” about the current…

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More Blog Posts by Doug Bandow

http://spectator.org/blog/2009/03/23/beware-the-taxman-he-comes-for
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