  The mass and weak interaction eigenstates for the quarks of the third
generation are very well aligned, an empirical fact for which the Standard
Model offers no explanation. We explore the possibility that this alignment is
due to an additional gauge symmetry in the third generation. Specifically, we
construct and analyze an explicit, renormalizable model with a gauge boson,
$X$, corresponding to the $B-L$ symmetry of the third family. Having a
relatively light (in the MeV to multi-GeV range), flavor-nonuniversal gauge
boson results in a variety of constraints from different sources. By
systematically analyzing 20 different constraints, we identify the most
sensitive probes: kaon, $B^+$, $D^+$ and Upsilon decays, $D-\bar{D}^0$ mixing,
atomic parity violation, and neutrino scattering and oscillations. For the new
gauge coupling $g_X$ in the range $(10^{-2} - 10^{-4})$ the model is shown to
be consistent with the data. Possible ways of testing the model in $b$ physics,
top and $Z$ decays, direct collider production and neutrino oscillation
experiments, where one can observe nonstandard matter effects, are outlined.
The choice of leptons to carry the new force is ambiguous, resulting in
additional phenomenological implications, such as non-universality in
semileptonic bottom decays. The proposed framework provides interesting
connections between neutrino oscillations, flavor and collider physics.
