Jobs will come back over time, tax base (and revenues) will begin to increase. Some current projects (dams, bridges, etc.) are being postponed or cancelled and budgets are being slashed. Basic services in most communities will continue abeit on a smaller scale.
The problem in the near future (20 to 30 years) will be the fresh water needed to process all these new technologies and increased energy demand; not the lack of gasoline or personalized carbon footprint taxes...
I don't think even the government could justify the payback of a carbon footprint tax when they consider all the effort (expense) of trying to figure out the carbon footprint of every citizen (legal or alien).
Personally, I think they would be better off putting a sales tax on eBay transactions
- Dan