Taxation without Representation

This Virginian Pilot article demonstrates that politicians will raise taxes, not for any particular reason, but just because they can:

CHESAPEAKE ­— The City Council decided late Tuesday to raise the city’s hotel occupancy tax by two cents on the dollar, but will decide later how to split the money between schools and other city needs.

The tax increase, which raises the special sales tax from 6 percent to 8 percent, takes effect May 1.

No staff financial analysis was presented Tuesday, but Councilman Pete Burkhimer estimated that the two-percentage-point increase would generate an additional $1 million per year.

That's an increase of 33%, without a whisper of justification or study. But what the hey, people staying in hotels in Chesapeake aren't Chesapeake residents, so why not soak 'em for an extra cool million even if we don't know why we need it?