California Cities Must Reclaim Their Money

California's political system is broken. Local governments in California are handcuffed by Sacramento, and unable to develop their own tax structures and spending priorities.

September 9, 2003, 9am PDT | Chris Steins | @urbaninsight

"[W]e need to strike at the heart of the problem: the loss of local control to Sacramento. We need to give our local city halls, county seats and school boards the power and resources to shape their own futures... The framers of the state Constitution did not intend that the Legislature and governor supervise the minutiae of city councils, county supervisors and school boards. Even with the best of intentions, state officials cannot adequately meet the needs of a homeowner in Sherman Oaks or a machine shop in East L.A... The spending priorities of communities like Palo Alto and Beverly Hills are not those of Pico Rivera or Delano. One community might want to spend on building a new community center while another might focus on jobs or after-school activities for young people."

Thanks to David Abel

Full Story:

Turn the Tide: Send Money Back to Cities

Published on Monday, September 8, 2003 in The Los Angeles Times