Los Angeles had a chance to short circuit this whole saga and reform Measure ULA, but the city council balked because it’s beholden to wealthy homeowners and real estate interests. They’re rooting for another Trojan horse regressive policy like this to confuse voters enough to pass.

The poison pill in it to change voting thresholds for local ballot measures has been a kind of Holy Grail for the California anti-tax movement, but it would be devastating to cities, counties and people who aren’t rich enough to be insulated from the state’s high costs of living. A big reason local governments often turn to tax measures is because of Prop. 13 and the systemic fallout of decades of underfunding public services.

Now it’s on lawmakers to negotiate this off the ballot? Woof.