News

Debate Simmers on City’s $2 Billion Budget

Published

11 years ago

July 5, 2013

Oakland Post

Lynette Gibson McElhaney

Desley Brooks

By Ken A. Epstein

Oakland’s new two-year $2 billion budget – the first in five years to be based on rising city revenues – focuses on hiring more police and reducing blight in the city.
The budget, which incorporates many of the priorities of the mayor and the differing plans proposed by councilmembers, was adopted by a 5-3 vote Thursday, with the support of Councilmembers Lynette Gibson McElhaney Dan Kalb, Pat Kernighan, Libby Schaaf and Rebecca Kaplan.
Though the days austerity appear to be over, at least for now, some councilmembers are saying the spending plan is excessive and risky and may lead to more cuts in the future.
In addition, city employees, who held a one-day strike on Monday, are saying they have accepted the brunt of the cuts over the past five years, and Oakland must do more to restore their standard of living, rather than giving so much of the new-found income to police.
The spending plan is optimistic but prudent and based on the spirit of compromise, according to McElhaney.
“This budget clearly does more for the community than many that we have been able to pass in the past few years. I’m pleased,” she said.
“With the ‘all-in budget,’ we were able to include everyone’s priorities,” she said, referring to the compromise budget designed by her, Kaplan and Kalb.
The budget will add funding to reduce blight and repair potholes, reduce the impact of cuts to Head Start and senior centers, increase funds for the West Oakland Job Resource Center and the West Oakland Youth Center,
The city will hire 160 new police officers, 10 new civilian police staff to help with investigations and the crime lab and continue the contract with the California Highway Patrol to help police city streets.
The budget also increases the number of staff in the City Administrator’s office.
McElhaney said she talked to staff while developing the all-in budget proposal and was told this “this is a very strong budget.”
“This budget does push the city to the limit. It is an optimistic budget that funds our future,” she said.
While the “all-in budget” does fund most of what Councilmembers Desley Brooks, Noel Gallo and Larry Reid were asking for in their alternative, budget, Brooks says the newly passed budget is “bittersweet,” because it is “fiscally irresponsible” and “simply kicks the can down the road.”
“The all-in budget paid for $8 million of ongoing expenses with one-time money,” said Brooks in a prepared statement. “This means we incur an expense knowing full well that we don’t have the money to pay for it in the future.”
Moreover, the budget funds city worker wage increases in a way that could mean layoffs in the future.
“What was most disturbing was the ‘all-in team’ funded a potential civilian employee bargaining set aside with $6 million dollars of one-time monies knowing full well this is an ongoing expense. This is fiscally irresponsible, reckless and unnecessary,” she said.
“We missed an opportunity to fund the items that provide the residents of this city with a safe, clean, and livable city and doing so in a fiscally responsible way.”

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Oakland Post: Week of December 18 – 24, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of December 18 – 24, 2024

Published

1 day ago

December 20, 2024

Oakland Post

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‘Donald Trump Is Not a God:’ Rep. Bennie Thompson Blasts Trump’s Call to Jail Him

“Donald Trump is not a god,” U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., told The Grio during a recent interview, reacting to Trump’s unsupported claims that the congressman, along with other committee members like vice chair and former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, destroyed evidence throughout the investigation.

Published

4 days ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Congressman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss. Courtesy photo.

By Post Staff

U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said he not intimidated by President-elect Donald Trump, who, during an interview on “Meet the Press,” called for the congressman to be jailed for his role as chairman of the special congressional committee investigating Trump’s role in the Jan. 6, 2021, mob attack on the U.S. Capitol.

“Donald Trump is not a god,” Thompson told The Grio during a recent interview, reacting to Trump’s unsupported claims that the congressman, along with other committee members like vice chair and former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, destroyed evidence throughout the investigation.

“He can’t prove it, nor has there been any other proof offered, which tells me that he really doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” said the 76-year-old lawmaker, who maintained that he and the bipartisan Jan. 6 Select Committee – which referred Trump for criminal prosecution – were exercising their constitutional and legislative duties.

“When someone disagrees with you, that doesn’t make it illegal; that doesn’t even make it wrong,” Thompson said, “The greatness of this country is that everyone can have their own opinion about any subject, and so for an incoming president who disagrees with the work of Congress to say ‘because I disagree, I want them jailed,’ is absolutely unbelievable.”

When asked by The Grio if he is concerned about his physical safety amid continued public ridicule from Trump, whose supporters have already proven to be violent, Thompson said, “I think every member of Congress here has to have some degree of concern, because you just never know.”

This story is based on a report from The Grio.

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City of Oakland Celebrates Reopening of Main Library

“Libraries are such critical facilities for all Oaklanders, whether it’s children coming to story-time, adults reading the newspapers or borrowing the latest novels, and people engaging with a range of services and programs that the library hosts,” said Council President and District 2 Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas. “Such library services and programs are only possible when the facility’s electricity, heating, roof, and lighting are fixed and running efficiently. I’m proud to join this re-opening of our Main Public Library.”

Published

4 days ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Left to Right- Jamie Turbak, Director of Library Services, LaTonda Simmons, Assistant City Administrator, Nikki Bas, President Oakland City Council, Shen Thao, Mayor of Oakland, Carroll Fife, Oakland City Councilmember District 3, Harold Duffey, Assistant City Administrator, Sean Maher, Projects Coordinator. Photo by Kevin Hicks.

The branch had been closed since May for critical infrastructure upgrades

Special to the Post

The City of Oakland leadership and community partners gathered to celebrate the reopening of the Main Library after completion of critical infrastructure upgrades to enhance the library’s facilities and provide a better experience for patrons.

Renovations include new roof installation, skylight repair, critical electrical system upgrades, new boiler control system installation, auditorium heating and cooling system installation, and improvements to lighting, flooring and ceilings throughout the building.

“This is truly something to celebrate, the reopening of our wonderful Main Library! I congratulate the staff and our partners for this important project to make the Main Library a more comfortable place for everyone for years to come, said Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. “Thank you to Oakland voters and the California State Library for making these crucial improvements possible.”

“Public libraries are a wonderful resource for our residents, offering a safe space for learning and being,” said District 3 Councilmember Carroll Fife. “It is critical to improve and modernize our libraries so more members of our community can utilize and enjoy them. I’m excited that the necessary renovations to the Main Library have been completed successfully and thank everyone involved, particularly the City team, who helped secured the necessary grant funds for this work.”

“I am proud of the City staff and project partners who kept this important project on schedule and under budget,” said Assistant City Administrator G. Harold Duffey. “The library is an incredibly important resource for our community members, and this project is an investment into the library’s future.”

“December 2nd was a momentous occasion for Oakland Public Library as we proudly reopened the doors of the Main Library following extensive infrastructure repairs,” said Director of Library Services Jamie Turbak. “Closing the Main Library for six months was no easy decision, as it serves as the central hub for our library system and is truly the heart of Oakland. Yet, this renovation was essential, representing more than just physical upgrades—it reflects our ongoing commitment to creating a safe, welcoming space for everyone.”

The City Administrator Jestin Johnson also attended the press conference and signalled his support for the completion of the record-setting completion of the renovations. Gay Plair Cobb, a newly appointed Library Commissioner said the Library represents the soul and brains of our community.

The Oakland Public Library secured funding for these crititcal repairs through a variety of sources. The California State Library’s Building Forward Library Facilities Improvement Program awarded the Main Branch $4.2 million. To comply with the grant terms, the City of Oakland provided matching funds through Measures KK, as approved by the Oakland City Council in October 2023.

The Main Library will host an Open House to celebrate the reopening on February 22, 2025, 10 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

About the Oakland Public Library

The Oakland Public Library is a part of the City of Oakland in California and has been in existence since 1878. Locations include 16 neighborhood branches, a Main Library, a Second Start Adult Literacy Program, the Oakland Tool Lending Library, and the African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO). The Oakland Public Library empowers all people to explore, connect, and grow. Oaklandlibrary.org