One argument in favor of high state taxes is that, "We have high incomes, so we can afford high taxes to buy the good stuff that government give us." (That's a loose paraphrase of the discourse where I live, at least.)

But the appeal of that argument in Connecticut, one of the wealthiest states in the country, is fading. So says Lewis M. Andrews, executive director of the Yankee Institute for Public Policy. He notes that in the past 25 years, student enrollment is up a mere 10%, while school spending has more than doubled.

Taxpayers in some of the state's more exclusive towns, including those with allegedly superior schools, have said enough (link for Wall Street Journal subscribers, or PDF on the Yankee site). They rejected proposed tax increases--in one case by a vote of 65% to 35%

But there's more than just saying no to higher spending. Andrews mentions several innovative ideas for keeping spending under control.