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Golden State Warriors Celebrate Victory in San Francisco Parade | Bay Area News | California | Gas Tax

【Voice of Hope June 21, 2022】

1. Golden State Warriors parade in San Francisco to celebrate victory

Thousands of Bay Area folks gathered in downtown San Francisco on Monday to celebrate the Golden State Warriors basketball team’s NBA national championship and welcome their triumphant return. It was the Warriors’ fourth championship in eight years. The parade started around 11 a.m. from the intersection of Market and Main Streets and lasted about an hour and a half. The atmosphere of the crowd on the sidelines was warm, and some people took a seat on the roadside at 5:30 in the morning. During the parade, Warriors players jumped out of their sedans to join the crowd, dancing, running with trophies, and spraying champagne on the crowd. At one point near Market and KEARNY Streets, enthusiastic spectators jumped over curbside fences and flocked to the team’s bus. Police surrounded the bus to prevent accidents.

Early Monday morning, the BART system was lined up with people taking rides to the parade. It is estimated that this is the most crowded day in BART since the new crown epidemic.

2. Downtown San Jose residents agree to tax hikes to improve the environment

Residents of Downtown San Jose recently voted to increase their property taxes to provide the funds the city needs to maintain cleanliness, safety and landscaping. About 89 percent of people in the special administrative region voted in favor. So residents of each apartment building will pay about $200 more per year for the next 10 years, while those in the corporate buildings will pay $35,600 per year, an increase of about 5% per year. Although the local area has been hit hard by the new crown epidemic, residents still choose to support the tax. A local business citizen said that the place is now at a turning point and that the project will prove to be worth their expense in the future. It is estimated that the city government of San Jose will therefore collect an additional $5.28 million in taxes each year. The mayor thanked the public for their support, which he said showed residents’ confidence in the future of downtown San Jose.

3. Golden Gate Bridge tolls will rise

San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge tolls will rise again starting July 1. Bridge tolls for individual drivers will rise by 0.35 cents to $9.40, and ride-sharing drivers will also increase by 0.35 cents to $6.40. The increase is part of a five-year plan that began on July 1, 2019, and will levy a total of $100 million for the entire project. In addition to the income obtained for the maintenance of the Golden Gate Bridge, 50% of the funds provide the local traffic management agency to subsidize the operation of the Golden Gate Bridge bus and ferry.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, bridge traffic has decreased by 20%, bus occupancy has dropped by 60%, and ferry occupancy has dropped by 64%. Competent officials said that under such circumstances, the income from bridge tolls is even more indispensable.

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