An owner using his or her own money to finance a stadium instead of asking taxpayers to do it.

"I'm asking taxpayers across the state to pick up their telephones," he said.

There is nothing in theory to stop states and cities raising extra money without asking taxpayers for it.

Now the ministry is asking taxpayers to pay $6.5 billion in just the first installment of a clean-up plan.

Asking ordinary taxpayers to cover the costs of a financial debacle they neither caused nor benefited from was bad enough.

I am asking taxpayers to join me in two critical efforts.

And consider the political nightmare of asking taxpayers to fork over extra money to, say, overweight smokers.

Greece needs our support and encouragement but asking foreign taxpayers, especially in countries outside the eurozone, to pick up the bill is difficult.

American has asked employees, customers and even taxpayers to dig deep into their pockets or to make significant concessions to help keep it aloft.

Many officials overseeing building projects, especially those in small towns with more limited financial resources, said they cannot ask taxpayers for more money.