PERMANENTLY abolish all state sales and excise taxes. Next, implement a flat state income tax, similar to what Carcassman suggests. Easy, fair, progressive, and sustainable... all the things that guarantee it will never happen.

A new, regressive income tax, on top of the existing, regressive taxes, becomes increasingly inevitable, the longer the Legislature lets us keep operating and investing with money that doesn't exist. The reason we are operating that way is that the current tax structure doesn't come close to paying for what existing programs require, let alone new programs and initiatives. Personally, I'd much rather pay my taxes right off the top than find out how much more I will be taxed in the future on goods and services to make up perennial revenue shortfalls. It would make finacial planning much, much easier. Simply add in inflation, and you have a pretty good idea what your taxes will look like in 5, 10, 20 years.