The Secret to D.C.'s Budget Surplus? Traffic Cameras and Rich People Dying

City governments all over the country remain mired in budget constraints and shortfalls, four long years since the recession first set in. But not, as it turns out, in Washington, D.C.

Yes, despite vying valiantly over the last two years for the title of most embarrassing municipal government in American history, the District of Columbia's chief financial officer announced on Friday that the city should expect a $139.5 million surplus at the end of the fiscal year, which closed on Sunday. And that's nine months after an audit revealed a whopping $240 million surplus from the previous year.