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Since 1910, local money belonged to locals and state money to the state. That changed when Proposition 13 passed in 1978. That measure, which aimed to stem soaring property tax bills as California property values increased, led to a new fiscal structure that ultimately put local money in state pots.

This article is either poorly researched, or intended as propoganda. Property taxes on my house went to the City up till the early 1950's. Now it goes to the County who sends it to the State, who sends back to the City with expensive strings attached.

The League of Cities' proposal, endorsed by about 120 of the state's cities and counties, has no direct impact on the car tax cut, though it would shift money and power away from the state and {give it back} to local governments, said Megan Taylor, a spokeswoman for the California League of Cities.

As my wife is on our City Council, we get the League of Cities newsletters. They have done excellent exposes on how the State has usurped local authority over what to spend tax money on...especially the ERAF property tax shift. I see no mention of this what-so-ever in the article. Either the Bee has incompetent reporters, or they are intentionally misrepresenting the facts.