The Washington Post has an article discussing how localities are preparing for the real estate market downturn:At the same time, officials increasingly are looking at what would happen if the housing market flattens so significantly that it no longer provides enough tax money to underwrite steady growth in spending.  Some have instructed their staffs to craft proposed budgets that cap expanded spending.  …Despite signs that the market is softening — home sales nationwide slowed more than expected in October, and inventory is at its highest level in 20 years — assessments typically lag behind the business climate.  So a downward trend won’t be reflected in the new round of valuations.Yet this article in the DP notes how a a few Delegates are making promises:House Speaker William J….  Wardrup, R-Virginia Beach, told a gathering of Virginia reporters and editors that the House of Delegates will not pass a measure increasing the state gas tax in 2006.”We have to look at other sources of revenue,” Howell said during the Associated Press Day at the Capital annual forum on pending state issues.  “I think that’s what the whole discussion is going to be about.”Howell suggested that increased fines for bad drivers could bring in a sustained source of transportation revenue of $400 million or more for each two-year budget cycle and that international investors could provide hundreds of millions of dollars more for purchasing the right to collect tolls on certain highways.$400 million in increased enforcement?  Let the police police, don’t make them become de facto tax collectors (probably with quotas too).This is an interesting idea – In Fairfax …  For next year’s proposed spending plan limits, he has instructed department heads to “essentially give us the same budget you gave us last year,” meaning no growth, except for pay raises and increases to cover such items as rising health care costs for employees and retirees.Why haven’t they been doing this all along?

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