It's free! It's private! Download "Thuvia, Maid of Mars" in the comfort of your own home! That may sound like spam e-mail advertising a porn site on the Web. But in reality, both the product and the pitch are decidedly less racy: "Thuvia," a sci-fi classic by Edgar Rice Burroughs, is just one of the hundreds of digital audio books now available via the Internet from the library system in King County, Washington.

A report issued in January from California's legislative analyst confirms Governing's assessment of the state's tax system: It's volatile [Government Performance Project, February 2002].

Advanced refundings are on the line as the federal government sees revenue in cutting off some muni bond tax breaks.