This chapter explores the role of local autonomy in cultural expenditure in post-unification Italy, particularly focusing on municipal funding for music bands. It argues that despite the centralization efforts after the 1865 Municipal and Provincial Law, local governments retained significant fiscal autonomy. Municipalities prioritized cultural investments, with music bands receiving a substantial share of cultural spending, particularly in the South. These bands, vital to civic, religious, and political life, reflected local traditions and acted as a counterbalance to the national elite’s anticlericalism. Using econometric models, the paper analyses spending patterns across provincial capitals, revealing the socioeconomic determinants of cultural expenditures. The findings suggest that local elites favoured regressive taxes, placing a higher financial burden on lower-income groups while minimizing taxes on wealthier property owners. The study highlights the complex interaction between local and national policies in shaping cultural and social life in early Italy.