Gavin, Gavin, Gavin Newsom. I once had such high hopes for you. A seemingly moderate Democrat, uncowed by the city's homeless lobby, winning election as mayor of San Francisco.

It's bad enough that since then, Newsom has made as his top priority a badly misguided attempt to contravene state law prohibiting gay marriage. Now, he says San Francisco's famed cable car system shouldn't be allowed to raise fares.

It's inconsistent with making San Francisco attractive to visitors. The cable cars are a symbol of San Francisco. They shouldn't be a way for us to make money, but part of the allure and charm of the city.

Wrong-o, Mr. Mayor. The highly non-essential, tourist-oriented cable cars are an entirely logical target for revenues to help close Muni's $57 million budget gap.

I've been taken for a ride on the cable cars. They're so jam-packed, you really get no chance to see the view, anyway. And typically, some zaftig mama from Omaha has her unmentionables in your face the whole time, to boot. Then you arrive in the worst tourist trap of North America (well, almost); Fisherman's Wharf.

It's one of those things you do to say you've done, and then wish you hadn't. Visitors are hoodwinked by a sinister cabal of hotel concierges and silly guidebooks into thinking cable cars are part of the essential SF experience, even tho the city's many less-hyped neighborhoods are the real jewel.

Posted by Matt Rosenberg at March 7, 2005 01:45 PM

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