Spending goes up while running a deficit. Boy, that's not how my employer explained it to me when they laid me off last month. I guess in government it works the opposite way. The sucking sound coming from City Hall, Raleigh and Washington isn't just from taking more and more of our money. The "sin tax" on cigarettes, is going up over 200% for the folks addicted to them but alcohol only 5%. Could that be because the state is in the alcohol/lobbyist business? Maybe we'll have less people smoking while driving, right Bev? Didn't Beverly Perdue just steal lottery and tobacco settlement money (Whats left after their lawyer buddies took their huge cuts)? Isn't NC getting "Stimulous" money too. I'm going broke with politicians looking out for my best interest but big government continues to grow, tax and spend. The middle class has been all but wiped out. Maybe I can just live in the projects, get food stamps and sell black market cigarettes...