I think its a good article, but I'm confused about the author's implication that the state government is consciously choosing to depend on income and capital gains tax revenues. California does depend on those taxes, but not by choice: Prop 13 made it basically impossible for property tax revenues to grow at the same rate as the economy.
I also agree with the other comments here that this author seems to think SF == Bay Area. Much of his comments about hippies and landlords conspiring make no sense in the rest of the bay, where it is actually relatively wealthy homeowners conspiring to prevent growth in order to ride the surge in home prices.
A couple years after Prop 13 was enacted in 1978, the California legislature approved of Mello-Roos Community Facilities District taxes in 1982. They exist on top of regular property taxes (they do not replace them). While I agree with your narrative that it's hard for California to raise property taxes (beyond two percent per year), CFD's help bring in new property tax revenue to ease the gap.
I also agree with the other comments here that this author seems to think SF == Bay Area. Much of his comments about hippies and landlords conspiring make no sense in the rest of the bay, where it is actually relatively wealthy homeowners conspiring to prevent growth in order to ride the surge in home prices.