Not to pick at nits here, but taxing something does not boost the economy. Taxing something only boosts government spending, at the cost of removing money and depressing the economy, whether the commodity taxed is prostitutes, cigarettes or baby blankets.
If San Francisco really wants to boost the economy, rather than boosting the government coffers, it should legalize prostitution and declare that it is tax-free. That way they can save on the enforcement costs and still not take the money out of the hands of the prostitutes who are going to turn around and spend it.
It is a trivial example, but it demonstrates how Liberals just do not understand the difference between government spending and the economy, and that what is good for the government is not necessarily good for us.
And, BTW, if San Francisco is spending $11,000,000 a year on enforcement of prostitution laws, they are not getting much value for their money. There are more prostitutes, operating out in the open, in San Francisco than just about anywhere in the US outside of certain counties in Nevada.
.....if San Francisco is spending $11,000,000 a year on enforcement of prostitution laws....
They would be well off by just doing nothing. By calling off the vice efforts they would make money or have funds for other effort like bathhouse cameras.