Ear to the Ground - State News Roundup

Arizona Senate President Bob Burns ruled out any tax increases, and said that the reason the state got into its current fiscal mess is that spending has increased faster than tax collections.

Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire has endorsed a draconican bill to impose a 'cap and trade' system - ie kill jobs by taxing companies for greenhouse emissions.

New York Democrats have decided that Gov. Paterson's 100+ hikes aren't enough, so are proposing even more tax increases on the "wealthy".

In the midst of a $40 billion overspending crisis, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed former Democratic Assemblywoman Nicole Parra to a newly created $128,124-a-year job and named former Republican Assemblyman Greg Aghazarian to a board slot with a similar salary. The appointments were the fourth and fifth six-figure jobs that Schwarzenegger has given to legislators who departed office last year. (The Assembly and Senate appointed three other former lawmakers to positions with similar pay). California still hopes for a $26 billion bailout with federal tax dollars.