REVENUE DOWN REVENUE DOWN Many states and cities coping with hard times are asking residents to open their wallets for the latest fashion in taxation — the temporary tax. Governments are raising taxes for a specific period of time and promising the hikes will go away when good times return. Some big temporary taxes: •Arizona voters decide today whether to approve a three-year sales-tax hike. Republican Gov. Jan Brewer pushed to raise the sales tax from 5.6% to 6.6%, dedicating two-thirds of the new money for schools. •Kansas hikes its sales tax July 1 from 5.3% to 6.3% for three years. The tax is designed to prevent cuts in education and social programs. • Mobile, Ala., boosts its sales tax by 1 cent for 16 months starting June 1. The combined state and local rate will be 10%. Goal: avoid laying off police and firefighters. A half-dozen other states are eyeing temporary taxes. So are many cities and counties, including King County, Wash., which includes Seattle. Temporary taxes are phenomena seen during recessions, says Curtis Dubay, a tax expert at the conservative Heritage Foundation. "You don't hear about temporary taxes when money is flowing into the coffers." The problem is that these taxes rarely go away, he says. "Once politicians get their hands on revenue, they won't give it up," he adds. Supporters say short-term tax hikes make sense during downturns. State and local tax collections fell 5.5% last year and 0.1% in the first quarter of 2010. However, total revenue rose 1.1% last year because of federal stimulus money. "It's not the city wanting additional money to do new things," says non-partisan Mayor Sam Jones of Mobile. "It's a bridge through tough times." Temporary taxes aren't new. Many state sales taxes started as temporary levies in the 1930s during the Great Depression. Congress imposed an income tax in 1861 to pay for the Civil War. It expired in 1871. The deadline is nearing for some temporary tax hikes to die. Early in the recession, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and North Carolina were among states imposing temporary income tax hikes on the wealthy. Those start expiring at the end of this year. Their fate is uncertain. President Obama wants to extend the two-year Making Work Pay tax credit set to expire at year's end. The credit — worth up to $800 per couple — would cost the government $60 billion in 2011. Kansas plans to repeal 60% of its sales tax in 2013. The rest will stay and go to highways. "The new governor and Legislature will decide what to do in three years," says Rachel Reeves, spokeswoman for Democratic Gov. Mark Parkinson, who leaves office in January. "But this governor was sincere in having the tax end in three years." Guidelines: You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. Read more