City Government

Oakland Cannabis Proposal to Fund Social Services Deadlocks in Council

Published

8 years ago

September 29, 2016

Public Safety Committee officials on Tuesday deadlocked on a proposal by council members Desley Brooks, Noel Gallo and Larry Reid that would require all pot businesses in Oakland to share their earnings with the city to help fund its social services.

The plan would make cannabis businesses and those who lease their property in Oakland give 25 percent of their profit to the city in order to receive operation permits.

It would also require at least one seat on the board of directors for the Commercial Cannabis Activity, and would restrict permits to people who have lived in Oakland for at least five years.

Desley Brooks, Noel Gallo and Larry Reid

Money generated from the plan would go towards a Cannabis Equity Fund, which would support three job-training programs, loans, community beautification and the establishment of a council district activities fund.

Supporters like local activist Carroll Fife said the proposal is necessary to address racial disparities in the bourgeoning pot business, which is expected to rake in more than $7 billion by the end of this year.

“We have an opportunity to fix what is wrong,” Fife said on Tuesday. “Let’s level the playing field and give more people opportunities to have the middle class existence that we have been robbed of.”

“The vast majority of people who are making money off this industry are white males, and it has not been an industry that has by and large included a majority of the population,” Brooks said.

On Tuesday, Brooks also emphasized how the plan would support Oakland’s historic Equity Permit Program, which City Council passed in May to provide unique support to those hardest hit by the Drug War.

Opponents – which include Terryn Buxton, who represents Brooks’ district for Oakland’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission – said the plan would drive the cannabis business out of Oakland.

In addition, the deadlocked proposal presented on Tuesday contained amendments from a previous version of the plan, which had received criticism from city and state officials for possibly not complying with state and federal regulations.

“Even if (the plan) is legal, which it’s probably not, it’s just ridiculous to the point where it’s not going to happen,” Councilmember Dan Kalb said on Tuesday. “What’s going to happen is that people are going to leave.”

But now that the plan is back to the drawing board, “everything is up for negotiations” according to Brooks.

And although the Committee took no official action on Tuesday, she said she’s still pleased with the outcome. “We changed the conversation… people are finally talking about funds that need to be set up to assist equity in business. For me, it was a victory.”

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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

9 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

10 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

10 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.