Toll to drive downtown? (San Francisco)

San Francisco Examiner ^ | 2/15/05 | Justin Nyberg

[Poodlebrain]

"But, in San Francisco, the devil is always in the details."

I'd support the concept except for the fact that it will not be equitably applied once the politicians begin carving out exceptions. As a former resident of San Francisco, I know that there is no way this concept would be limited to commercial only areas, as there are very few of these in the city. So they would extend the toll roads into mixed use areas, and then begin exempting certain residents from the tolls around their homes. Eventually, you will have a system complicated enough to invite corruption, and the system would get corrupted.

My second issue has to do with the costs to operate MUNI and BART. Will the fares for these services to and within the city be reduced to reflect the new source of revenue to subsidize these systems, or will the systems be improved substantially? There is no way that fares will be reduced as the public has already shown a tolerance for such amount, but I had to bring up the point. Also, I doubt that either MUNI or BART will see expansion of their service areas, nor will the volume of transit vehicles increase dramatically, so I don't see any significant improvement in service.

Therefore, this will simply be a windfall tax increase for San Francisco, and the Board of Supervisors will find creative ways to spend the revenue without significantly improving the traffic situation in the city. So, I'd have to oppose the plan if I still lived in San Francisco.

[SF Republican]

Wow, where in the city do you live and work? I have lived here since '91; North Beach, Nob Hill, Haight Ashbury and now a home in the Sunset. Always worked downtown at Market and Montgomery. Again in 14 years not a single problem. In North Beach I was out all of the time until late.

[Alissa]

I agree that SF is a beautiful city, physically. It's a very sick city, mentally. I moved from SF to Honolulu, which is equally a beautiful place with it's own problems. Today I live in San Antonio, which is not as beautiful, but for the most part mentally healthy.

[sergeantdave]

More soviet socialist smart growth for the Marxist common good - penalizing individuals by demanding a tribute for using their private property.

SF is run by thieving pirates.

[goldstategop]

Liberals have long taxed you for the privilege of parking in downtown. Now liberals want to tax you for the privilege of driving in and around downtown. When it comes to extracting the maximum revenue from your wallet, let's just say its the one area they'll never run out of ideas. Especially in San Francisco.

Denny Crane: "There are two places to find the truth. First God and then Fox News."

[Mr Ramsbotham]

If they could find a way to tax sodomy their problems would be at an end.

[Paleo Conservative]

Ping!

[spokeshave]

""The key issue here is if we can kill three birds with one stone "

Brilliant leftie - rat thinking (no pun intended).....

And KILL all those mom and pop entrepreneurial businesses.

Where else could you kill four birds with one stone....!

[NW Mike]

"If they could find a way to tax sodomy their problems would be at an end."

Now I know there was no pun intended, wasn't there??:-)

[Walkingfeather]

My great great great gandfather helped found the city with general vallejo. I hate the city of urine.

[Mr Ramsbotham]

Now I know there was no pun intended, wasn't there??:-)

Only in the tagline.

[SF Republican]

I hate the city of urine its okay now, we kicked Gen Vallejo out.

[rawhide]

The feds will have to sign off on this as some of these streets are part of the national highway system, and there may be restrictions whether the city can charge tolls to drive on them. Also, the state of California would probably have to do the same.

[Diddle E. Squat]

As a Texan, I'm all for San Francisco doing this, it only helps push more business relocations to TX.

[Sam's Army]

"Although fear tends to sour the taste of their meat."

Hey, maybe that explains that strange culinary experience I had in Chinatown out there...

[BobL]

"As a Texan, I'm all for San Francisco doing this, it only helps push more business relocations to TX."

Don't worry, it won't happen. Once the California businesses see how blind Cintra is robbing the people of Texas, they find much "friendlier" states to relocate in.

(For those outside of Texas, Cintra is a private company that's being given a contract with monopoly-type protections to build a private toll road in Texas - and grab as much as our money as they can get. May God have mercy on us.)

[Citizen James]

As a person who drives home from Redwood City to Downtown SF every, I'd rather wait a few minutes in gridlock than deal with being charged daily to drive downtown.

Oh, the wacky news from SF just doesn't stop. We're at critical mass here folks...

Click here for Bay Area News Pings!

[Diddle E. Squat]

I see you're spamming your total BS again. Are you by chance Willie Green?

[NorCalRepub]

I agree with you.......SF is not nearly as bad as their politics and bad press say it is....it is a great place to visit and hang out in and the tourist spots are very fun. Unless you are in the Castro, you see limited gay pride and some of the funnest restaurants are in North Beach....but of course, they get so much bad press I don't blame most of those unfamiliar with it to see it in that light....

[blam]

When I lived in the area, all they asked us to do is "wear some flowers in your hair." That was a long time ago though.