Will a tax revolt this be the ultimate trickle-down economic effect? Revenue is drying up not only at the Federal level but is now doing so, as was inevitable, at the State and local levels. I’ll go out on a limb and predict that the local level is where the pushback on taxes will occur, not only here but nationwide.

Here’s a little foreshadowing of the fun that awaits us in 2010: a number of stories from around the State which show us why we are about to become California – or one of many Californias.

The Town of Winchester uncovers a “mystery” problem:

The town of Winchester’s budget situation is so bad that there may not be enough money to make payroll next month, according to the newly elected Winchester Board of Selectmen, which voted to set up a process that would allow the town to borrow up to $2.5 million against future tax payments in order to keep the town running.

The process involves using tax-anticipation notes to pay for budget shortfalls, which may reach a critical point next month. If the town goes ahead with the plan, a special town meeting and referendum would be required to allow the town to borrow against future proceeds.

Mayor Candy Perez said she first heard about the seriousness of the budget problem on Nov. 4, (emphasis added) the day after this year’s municipal election, when then-Town Manager Keith Robbins said the crisis was bad enough to warrant tax-anticipation notes. Robbins submitted his letter of resignation to Perez a week later.

In Naugatuck, there are some unhappy days at the Board of Ed, and a $2 million shortfall looming.

Teachers overwhelmingly condemned the performance of embattled Superintendent John Tindall-Gibson Thursday, while the school board continued to search for ways to make up a projected $2 million budget deficit.

The Naugatuck Teachers’ League voted 320-8 in a symbolic gesture to show they have no confidence in the 62-year-old school chief, who has been here since September 2006.

We know where that ends.

And looming Statewide… a projected $3.2 billion shortfall in 2012, according to the State’s Office of Fiscal Analysis. (Click to download as PDF or view above.)