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The Republican tax bill moving through Congress eliminates the deduction for state income taxes and limits the deduction for property taxes. Californians write big checks for both, which is why there so much concern about the bill.

That mortgage interest deduction was long described as the third-rail of federal tax law — untouchable. But now that cuts to that deduction are being written into the Republican tax plans, it seems fair to wonder whether a bedrock of California tax policy also long described as untouchable — Proposition 13, the 1978 initiative which put a cap on property taxes — is also up for discussion. Or should be.

Here’s why. Because of Proposition 13, California homeowners (or at least those who have lived in the same house for a while) tend to pay less in property taxes than incomes taxes. So given the changes under consideration in Washington, it might make sense for state lawmakers to figure out a way for Californians to pay more in property taxes, where they can take a federal deduction, and less in income taxes. (This presumes that one of the compromises floating around in Washington — to count both property taxes and income taxes against the $10,000 limit — does not become law).

Joe Mathews, a longtime critic of this state’s governance system, said the Republican proposal could stir enough concern among Californians to embolden elected officials to grab the rail. But he isn’t counting on it.