I know you have picked Maryland as an example of wrongheadedness in opposing tax increases, however you are not telling the whole story. For years Maryland had a sound transportation trust fund but similar to what has happened with social security at the federal level, transportation fund have been put toward other social programs and other budgetary drains instead of fixing roads. Now all of a sudden we really need to fix the road like we should have been but there is no money left, so lets raise more taxes. What would keep the same thing from happening again? Maryland is an example of existing taxes not going toward their intended purpose, which happens all the time in government. Every new tax should have specific language restrictions.

Don't get me wrong I think that unions are worthless for the most part today and teachers should not be allowed to have tenure (not being able to fire someone ineffective at their job is the most ridiculous concept ever) but anyone who thinks that most teachers only work 5 hours a day is as delusional as the unions themselves. Try teaching (not to mention planning, grading and preparing) a classroom full of children most of whom probably have no discipline or structure at home.