California Insider

It's probably worth debating whether California’s local governments need a bigger and more stable source of revenue. I’m inclined to think that compared to the state, the cities and counties have weathered the economic downturn pretty well so far. But whatever the answer to that question, the latest proposals to boost taxes and earmark the revenue for law enforcement are intellectually dishonest. The tactic’s backers suggest that public safety deserves its own revenue source because it’s the most important thing cities and counties do. But if that’s the case, then local officials should simply budget for cops and firefighters first, then spend what’s left on everything else. If all levels of government would do this -- set priorities and then work their way down the list until their money runs out -- we would get a much clearer picture of the true choices we face. It might turn out that it’s the dogcatcher, not the cop on the beat, whose salary won’t get paid without a tax hike. And that’s a different matter altogether.