Wednesday, September 28, 2011

The Kleptocracy of San Francisco

In San Francisco, Parking Tickets Are the New Taxation

With some the highest fines in the country for parking ($68) and traffic violations ($436 for running a red light),  "Many San Francisco residents now feel that the city government has become a kind of Kleptocracy, a government run by thieves. That is, those in power tax residents through the form of heavy fines for much-needed cash, even as basic services are under threat." 

HT: Pete Friedlander 


9 Comments:

At 9/28/2011 10:49 PM, Blogger Methinks said...

Only $68? Please. In NYC it's $150 as a minimum.

 
At 9/29/2011 5:42 AM, Blogger geoih said...

Maybe we need to modify the definition of highwayman.

 
At 9/29/2011 5:45 AM, Blogger reprise8 said...

Is progress being made? IDK, we'll have to wait and see. Maybe someday the San Franciscans will realize that gov't by it's very nature is a kleptocracy. The only thing that recently changed in SF is the degree.

 
At 9/29/2011 8:31 AM, Blogger Savior Faire said...

Anyone see the irony in that SF is a sanctuary city for illegal immigrants. At the same time, the city is engaging in a major shakedown of it's legal citizens.

 
At 9/29/2011 9:10 AM, Blogger morganovich said...

methinks-

$68 is for residential neighborhoods and minor infractions.

screw up downtown, and you get hit with $150 and towing, even on first offense. getting your car back is $500 easy.

the problem is that SF muni massively overpays its drivers etc (they make six figures) and refuses to pass costs along to users.

they were given the parking authority to cover the shortfalls.

every time they run in the red, they hire more meter maids and up fines.

the meters are outlandish as well.

many are 6 minutes for a quarter, and some are actually at 3 mins/25 cents.

if you don't have a parking card, they are effective unusable. this BURYS out of town visitors who are unlikely to have $6 in quarters on them.

having lived in both, trust me, NYC is FAR more parking friendly than SF. (and much easier not to have a car in)

 
At 9/29/2011 10:44 AM, Blogger NormanB said...

It would be interesting to know how much in fines are actually collected.

 
At 9/29/2011 2:14 PM, Blogger KauaiMark said...

"...parking ($68) and traffic violations ($436"

Everyone knows that residents of SF don't drive. This "income" a tax on tourists

 
At 9/29/2011 3:13 PM, Blogger Methinks said...

Morganovich,

I don't know when you last lived in NYC, but things have gotten a lot worse there. Parked cars are a source of revenue.

I stopped riding the subway when a man decided to show me his penis three inches from my face (I was sitting, he was standing). I stopped taking cabs when I got one with piss all over the back seat, vomit in the foot well in another and the stench of death in the third one - all in a row.

Then, I just moved the hell out.

 
At 9/30/2011 3:40 PM, Blogger BxCapricorn said...

Aside from the usual East Coast, "you think that's bad..." non-sense, and attacks on unfortunate others (illegal aliens, really?) that pass for comments, let it be known that the Bay Area is famous (like NYC) for towing legally parked vehicles, even those parked in the person's own garage entry. San Leandro and other SF/Oakland suburban areas are hotbeds for this for this type of tomfoolery, where the garage, tow company and local government profit.

 

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