City Government

Misgivings Over Mayor Schaaf’s Bond Measure

Published

8 years ago

July 22, 2016

A number of community leaders are expressing misgivings about Oakland Mayor Libby’s Schaaf’s $600 million infrastructure and affordable housing bond, approved by the City Council this week at the end of a nine-hour marathon meeting to go on the November ballot.

The bond, which has been discussed in city council committees, and the Mayor’s Housing Cabinet, earmarks the money to fix streets and sidewalks, including pedestrian, bicycle and traffic safety ($350 million); repair and build parks and libraries, as well as for facilities for the fire and police departments ($150 million); and housing anti-displacements measures.

The council voted 7-1 early Wednesday morning to support the measure. Only District 6 Councilmember Desley Brooks was the sole “no” vote.

In an interview with the Post, Brooks said the bond was pushed through the council “with little to no community input that was seriously considered.”

She said a poll shows that Oaklanders are willing to support a bond that addresses affordable housing issues, but only about 17 percent of the money would be spent on the city’s housing needs.

“Housing is the number one issue, and too little money is being allocated for housing,” said Brooks. “In order for them to pass the bond they needed to put something about housing, but they didn’t put enough in my estimation.”

In addition, she said, the tax burden will unfairly impact seniors and low-income renters and homeowners. “The assessment is too high. $69 per $100,000 of assessed value,” Brooks said. “People can’t afford this on top of the garbage bill and all the other measures on the ballot if approved.”

Brooks and other community leaders are also concerned that the measure at present is vaguely worded. The council will ultimately decide the spending plan. There are only general areas for spending in the measure. Specifics will be decided at a later date.

Mayor Schaaf’s bond proposal was sponsored in the City Council by Vice Mayor Annie Campbell Washington and Councilmember Abel Guillén.

“We can’t afford to keep taking a piecemeal approach to our city’s deferred maintenance,” said Schaaf. “This bond proposal is a concerted effort to protect and build up quality of life in our city. With a fix-it-first philosophy, we can use this bond to tackle wholesale our crumbling roads, repair our fire houses, rec centers and libraries; and put protections in place to address the displacement of Oakland families.”

Said Vice Mayor Campbell Washington, “These are forward thinking investments to lessen ongoing operations and maintenance costs with particular attention to our citywide goals around energy consumption, resiliency and mobility.”

The bond will be issued over a 10-12-year period so the cost to taxpayers will adjust over time.

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City Government

San Pablo Appoints New Economic Development and Housing Manager

Kieron Slaughter has been appointed as the economic development & housing manager for the City of San Pablo. Since 2017, Slaughter has served as chief strategic officer for economic innovation in the City of Berkeley’s Office of Economic Development. Previously, he served in a 2.5-year appointment in the Pacific West Region as one of 10 Urban Fellows in the United States National Park Service.

Published

18 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Kieron Slaughter. Photo courtesy of the City of San Pablo

The Richmond Standard

Kieron Slaughter has been appointed as the economic development & housing manager for the City of San Pablo.

Since 2017, Slaughter has served as chief strategic officer for economic innovation in the City of Berkeley’s Office of Economic Development. Previously, he served in a 2.5-year appointment in the Pacific West Region as one of 10 Urban Fellows in the United States National Park Service.

Before that he was an associate planner in the City of Richmond’s Planning and Building Services Department from 2007-2015.

San Pablo City Manager Matt Rodriguez lauded Slaughter’s extensive experience in economic development, housing and planning, saying he will add a “valuable perspective to the City Manager’s Office.”

Slaughter, a Berkeley resident, will start in his new role on Nov. 12, with a base annual salary of $164,928, according to the City of San Pablo.

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City Government

Aaron Osorio Rises Up Ranks to Become Richmond’s Fire Chief

For Aaron Osorio, it started with a ride along on a firetruck at age 10. “I thought it was the coolest job,” he said, adding, “I knew being in fire service would make a big difference in the community.” Now a 27-year fire service veteran, Osorio appears to approach his work with the same youthful exuberance. And that’s good for the city as Osorio was recently named chief of the historic Richmond Fire Department.

Published

18 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Richmond Fire Department Chief Aaron Osorio. Courtesy photo

By Mike Kinney

The Richmond Standard

For Aaron Osorio, it started with a ride along on a firetruck at age 10.

“I thought it was the coolest job,” he said, adding, “I knew being in fire service would make a big difference in the community.”

Now a 27-year fire service veteran, Osorio appears to approach his work with the same youthful exuberance. And that’s good for the city as Osorio was recently named chief of the historic Richmond Fire Department.

Osorio is a San Francisco native who rose up the ranks in the Richmond Fire Department over the last 21 years before being elevated to chief.

He joined the department in 2002 and has served in multiple roles including firefighters, engineer, captain, battalion chief, training director and deputy fire chief. He said he truly loves working in this community.

While it isn’t common for a fire department to hire a chief that came up through its ranks, Osorio was credited by the city for serving Richmond well during uncommon times.

The city lauded him for developing internal policies and vaccination clinics during the initial COVID response, for supporting activation of the emergency operations center in response to a potential mudslide disaster in Seacliff last year, helping to draft mutual aid agreements and working to increase fire response capabilities for industrial incidents.

He’s also led departmental hiring and recruitment since 2018.

Osorio said it is an honor to be hired as chief and has big plans for the department moving forward. He said he wants to continue hiring and promoting for vacant positions, and also completing a strategic plan guiding the direction of the organization.

He also aims to replace and renovate a number of fire department facilities placed on the Capital Improvement Plan and create new ways to recruit that will enhance the diversity of the department.

Osorio said his experience within, and love for, the city of Richmond puts him in a good position to lead the department. He says he knows what is needed and also the challenges that are unique to the city.

“I look forward to utilizing that institutional knowledge to move the fire department forward in a positive direction and enhance the services we provide to the community,” the chief said.

Osorio holds a bachelor of science degree in Fire Administration and is also a California State Fire Marshal-certified chief officer, company officer, and state instructor.

He also holds numerous certifications in fire, rescue, hazardous material, and incident command.

The chief has been married to his wife, Maria, for 26 years and they have two sons, Roman and Mateo.

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Bay Area

Oakland Awarded $28 Million Grant from Governor Newsom to Sustain Long-Term Solutions Addressing Homelessness

Governor Gavin Newsom announced the City of Oakland has won a$28,446,565.83 grant as part of the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) grant program. This program provides flexible grant funding to help communities support people experiencing homelessness by creating permanent housing, rental and move-in assistance, case management services, and rental subsidies, among other eligible uses.

Published

18 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao

Governor Gavin Newsom announced the City of Oakland has won a$28,446,565.83 grant as part of the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) grant program.

This program provides flexible grant funding to help communities support people experiencing homelessness by creating permanent housing, rental and move-in assistance, case management services, and rental subsidies, among other eligible uses.

Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and the Oakland City Administrator’s Office staff held a press conference today to discuss the grant and the City’s successful implementing of the Mayor’s Executive Order on the Encampment Management Policy.