Sponsored link
Friday, October 23, 2026

Sponsored link

City Beat: $1 billion fine for Google?

 

I’ve always thought San Francisco could use a Displacement and Neighborhood Impact Agency. I’ve argued that every major development, tax break, etc. should require not just an Environmental Impact Report but a Displacement Impact Report: How many San Franciscans will lose their homes, and how many nonprofits and small businesses will be forced out by the project? That way we could look at the tradeoffs: Is the Twitter tax break worth a few hundred evictions and commercial displacements?

So now, at least on the web, we have one. And the folks who have created it estimate that the fines Google and the other companies with private buses don’t pay for stopping in Muni bus stops (at $271 a pop for ordinary folks) are equal to $1 billon: There are more than 200 Muni stops that get used a total of 7,100 times a day. Add that up over two years (2011-2013) and you get a lot of cash. (more after the jump)

Marke B.
Marke B.
Marke Bieschke is the publisher and arts and culture editor of 48 Hills. He co-owns the Stud bar in SoMa. Reach him at marke (at) 48hills.org, follow @supermarke on Twitter.

48 Hills welcomes comments in the form of letters to the editor, which you can submit here. We also invite you to join the conversation on our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

Sponsored link

Sponsored link

Latest

BIG WEEK: Sandcastle Classic, LitCrawl, Annie Sprinkle, 125 Years of Lawn Bowling….

'Roll Fog,' Chinatown After Dark, SF Dance Film Fest, SOMArts' Día de los Muertos, 'Wicker,' a Britney Spears musical, more to do!

Good Taste: Warriors score early wins with tasty new fare

Delightful Dungeness sandwich, fire pozole, perfect vegan pancit are some of this season’s culinary highlights at Chase Center.

Under the Stars: Noise Pop’s phase one lineup drops—with a load of local love

Plus: Funkadelic's 'Maggot Brain' reissue (again), Late Aster's constellations, hometown high-fives from Treasure, more

Juvenal knew: Seeing our current ‘orgy of greed’ through ancient eyes

A 'No Kings' encounter put us in mind of a Roman poet's satirical—and unfortunately immortal—take on the kakistocracy.

You might also likeRELATED