It sounds like you are describing different communities with different problems (i.e. Flint, MI doesn't have problems with frequent Brown outside - that was California 15 years ago) as though they are the same one. Also, most of those examples are things from state governments rather than the federal government. Of course, people don't talk much about state tax reform. State tax revenue sources can vary from property taxes to income tax to sales tax. Some states don't have an income tax and reply mainly on sales tax.