Hindsight's Always 20/20

It's ironic (or maybe not) that the higher the tax rates are in a given state or municipality, the greater the likelihood it will claim "financial hardship" and seek to raise revenues still higher. And so it goes in New York City, where Mayor Michael Bloomberg supports a proposed "crash tax" on emergency services the Fire Department of New York is set to implement: if you're involved in an accident to which firefighters must respond, regardless of fault, you'll be billed: car fire or accident with injury, $490. Car fire without injury, $415. Any vehicle accident without injury, $365. The city expects to raise $1 million the first year.

This despite New Yorkers already paying some of the highest individual tax rates in America. Of course, a good chunk of that proposed $1 million government profit will vanish in the inevitable lawsuit brought by an innocent motorist who refuses to pay a fine after her car gets hit by a speeding on-duty cop who didn't have his lights or siren on.

Too little, too late, FDNY. If you wanted to make real money off your scheme you should've implemented it the week before 9/11. I bet a lot of motorists crashed their cars after they were distracted by the horrors they saw in the skyline.