Let that sink in. A celebrity — with options, presumably — is choosing San Francisco. On purpose.

The Tunnel Tops performance was apparently the kind of spontaneous, electric moment that reminds you why this city can still be magic when it gets out of its own way. No months of permit negotiations, no Board of Supervisors hearing on the noise impact to nearby marine wildlife, no $2 million feasibility study. Just a park, a pop star, and a crowd having a great time.

As one SF resident put it, someone should probably warn her about the tax situation before the paperwork goes through.

And honestly? Fair point. California's top marginal income tax rate sits at 13.3%, and San Francisco layers on its own local taxes and fees with the enthusiasm of a city that's never met a revenue stream it didn't want to date. Kesha's accountant is probably already drafting the "are you sure about this?" email.

But let's not be entirely cynical. When a high-profile figure announces they're coming to San Francisco instead of fleeing it, that's a data point worth noting. The city has spent the last few years watching tech founders and businesses head for Miami, Austin, and Dubai. A little inbound cultural energy is welcome.

Tunnel Tops itself deserves credit here — the park, which opened on the Presidio in 2022, has become exactly the kind of public space that makes a city livable. Free, open, gorgeous, and apparently capable of hosting impromptu concerts without the universe collapsing.

More of this, San Francisco. Less red tape, more spontaneity, more reasons for people to choose this city.

Welcome to SF, Kesha. Hope you like paying your quarterly estimates.