Given the Senate's Democratic majority, it's not surprising the bill moved forward. The bigger question, though, is what impact it might have on the budget stalemate.

In fact, much of this morning's debate over SB 653 seemed to be more about state than local budgeting. Steinberg's bill is both simple and clever: local governments — a county, city, even a school district — would be able to impose a number of taxes which are now the exclusive province of the state, as long as the voters approve.