So first off, I don't have any solution but I'm pretty sure our government is looking to get blood from a stone.

Mainly our local government. We have public transportation and they are laying people off and raising the price to commute. With the gas hikes, public transportation went up really high and it is amazing they are still so desperate.

Next they are proposing a gas tax hike.....great.

They are also suggesting to raise the sales tax to be more than the states around us. People are just going to shop elsewhere.

I know the government needs money. I'm just as likely to complain when roads are loaded with potholes and not plowed, but people are strapped as it is and swiping money from where it doesn't exist is going to be very hard.

on the plus side, I have my Best Of Weird Al playing and Dare to be Stupid came up while I was typing this.

To get out of a slump, the government needs to SPEND to stimulate, not cut more. They can find some blood after that; it'll show up.