In yet another sign of the times, the Mayor is proposing a new fee for crossing our city bridges as a way to make up for some of the loss of revenue that bad planning and poor management has meant for our city.  And let’s not even get into the welfare for the rich scenarios that have given us nothing but ugly spaces at a high price. It’s pretty messed up how they’ve managed this city into a financial hole, just to keep developers and campaign funders happy. But what else is new, que no?

Well this IS new: they want to charge people for crossing any bridge in the city. Even the ones that span the river and connect the Eastside with the rest of the city. And they want to charge you in both directions.  As if times weren’t tough enough.

I first heard about it a week ago, when someone that works in the city mentioned a job opening for what they were calling the Bridge Troll position. They even had a job listing online but it seems to have disappeared after concerned citizens got word of the coming tax. One of the requirements was the “ability to scamper up a small bridge in a timely manner” which suggests they would tax you once you arrived at the bridge, without giving you previous warning. And that’s the thing the seems wrong, that they want to get you and your fare at the last possible minute, making it harder and more embarrassing to turn around and avoid the fee.

As of May 1st, this is going to be the first bridge to experience the “Troll Tax”, the one out of Griffith Park by Ferndell. The starting rate will be $2.00, or $1.50 with a bus transfer. I don’t go by there very often so it’s not going to affect me, but I’m really worried that they’ll come for these bridges first and then eventually target the Eastside bridges, which will be pretty sucky.

Could this remodeled and recently fixed up space be the new headquarters for the bridge tax employees? Only time will tell.

It just doesn’t seem fair or right. All we can do is let you know.