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This won’t get any better. [It’s getting worse.](https://www.businessinsider.com/san-franciscos-union-square-store-closures-since-2020-2023-5?amp https://www.bu

This won’t get any better. [It’s getting worse.](https://www.businessinsider.com/san-franciscos-union-square-store-closures-since-2020-2023-5?amp https://www.businessinsider.com/san-franciscos-union-square-...) Locals have been complaining about crime and homelessness for decades, but leaders just doubled down on failed policies. [So locals started leaving.](https://wolfstreet.com/2023/03/30/population-drops-even-more-in-california-san-francisco-bay-area-coastal-southern-california-san-francisco-8-from-peak-but-19-inland-counties-grow/ https://wolfstreet.com/2023/03/30/population-drops-even-more...) Their most popular destination [is Austin.](https://www.movebuddha.com/blog/moving-to-san-francisco-migration-report/ https://www.movebuddha.com/blog/moving-to-san-francisco-migr...) To compound this, San Francisco has the lowest rate of returning to office work. San Fran’s budget is/was so large thanks to sky high property taxes on property values decoupled from reality. They’re coming right back down to earth, and with occupancy rates so low, SF is going to need to tighten its budgetary belt significantly.

SllX 3y ago
> San Fran’s budget is/was so large thanks to sky high property taxes on property values decoupled from reality. You are mostly right with your post, but when analyzing SF’s budget you have to remember that San Francisco isn’t just a city it’s a consolidated city and county. The way that this affects the budget is that in addition to you know, municipal services that cities are expected by their residents to deliver, San Francisco is also the unit of government that implements the local services mandates that California uses the counties as a vehicle to deliver. That’s not to say it isn’t needlessly large even given all of that, but there’s another important variable in play that would already set the floor of the budget for a city in California given its population sky high before taking into account the local political environment.
- Gareth321 3y ago
  Thanks for the additional info!

SllX 3y ago

> San Fran’s budget is/was so large thanks to sky high property taxes on property values decoupled from reality. You are mostly right with your post, but when analyzing SF’s budget you have to remember that San Francisco isn’t just a city it’s a consolidated city and county. The way that this affects the budget is that in addition to you know, municipal services that cities are expected by their residents to deliver, San Francisco is also the unit of government that implements the local services mandates that California uses the counties as a vehicle to deliver. That’s not to say it isn’t needlessly large even given all of that, but there’s another important variable in play that would already set the floor of the budget for a city in California given its population sky high before taking into account the local political environment.

Gareth321 3y ago
Thanks for the additional info!