City Government

OP-ED: Open Process Will Strengthen Redrawing of Oakland Districts

Published

11 years ago

July 12, 2013

Last month, the Supreme Court weakened the Voting Rights Act and put the rights of voters of color at risk.

This week, Oakland residents can step forward and do their part to defend these critical rights. Will you stand and be counted at these public hearings?

The 2010 Census showed demographic shifts in Oakland’s population and – with the power of the Voting Rights Act behind it – established the need for a transparent, engaging redistricting process in 2013.

As leading advocates for open data, transparent public process, government accountability and equity, we know that district lines can be drawn to hold neighborhoods together, or to divide them; to dilute the voting strength of people of color, or to elevate their communities of interest.

Oakland’s citywide vote has been unbalanced for some time. While district lines are initially drawn on the basis of total population, historic housing segregation patterns put more eligible, registered and high-turnout voters in Districts 1 and 4.

In citywide campaigns, it is common knowledge that political consultants focus their efforts on these two districts, historically disproportionately white, creating a vicious cycle where residents more likely to vote receive more campaign information and reinforcement of their voting behavior.

Between the years 2000 and 2010, Oakland lost overall population – but gained voting age population. Within that voting age population, the numbers of Latino and Asian residents increased dramatically, especially in East Oakland districts.

However, white residents also increased, especially in gentrifying condo developments that attracted residents from across the Bay Area. While the City’s African-American population declined, this community remains concentrated in compact, contiguous communities of interest – and a transparent, open redistricting process can protect all communities’ interests for the next decade.

The district lines we draw matter because they both reflect and shape communities of interest. Defining the district often determines whose voice is heard on what issues. That is why voting rights advocates have fought so hard to protect “one person, one vote” and the rights of communities of interest under redistricting.

It is time for open data and an open process that allows Oaklanders to learn more about their community – and their rights. We commend the City Council for broadening outreach and engagement efforts and look forward to a robust process.

Urban Strategies Council is proud to partner with ACCE, Oakland Rising, League of Women Voters of Oakland and concerned residents to engage Oaklanders in learning more about Voting Rights, redistricting, and one person, one vote.

Our coalition is honored to have received funding from the James Irvine Foundation to support this work. You can learn more and add your voice at www.oaklandvotes.org or follow #OaklandVotes on Twitter.

An Oakland Votes redistricting meeting will be held from 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday July 13 at the Dimond Recreation Center, 3860 Hanly Road in Oakland.

Junious Williams is the CEO of Urban Strategies Council, a social impact organization using research, policy, collaboration, innovation and advocacy to achieve equity and social justice.

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Oakland Post: Week of December 25 – 31, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of December 25 – 31, 2024

Published

2 hours ago

December 26, 2024

Oakland Post

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Bay Area

Glydways Breaking Ground on 14-Acre Demonstration Facility at Hilltop Mall

Glydways has been testing its technology at CCTA’s GoMentum Station in Concord for several years. The company plans to install an ambitious 28-mile Autonomous Transit Network in East Contra Costa County. The new Richmond facility will be strategically positioned near that project, according to Glydways.

Published

2 days ago

December 24, 2024

Oakland Post

Image of planned Richmond facility courtesy of Glydways.

The Richmond Standard

Glydways, developer of microtransit systems using autonomous, small-scale vehicles, is breaking ground on a 14-acre Development and Demonstration Facility at the former Hilltop Mall property in Richmond, the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) reported on social media.

Glydways, which released a statement announcing the project Monday, is using the site while the mall property undergoes a larger redevelopment.

“In the interim, Glydways will use a portion of the property to showcase its technology and conduct safety and reliability testing,” the company said.

The new Richmond development hub will include “over a mile of dedicated test track, enabling Glydways to refine its solutions in a controlled environment while simulating real-world conditions,” the company said.

Visitors to the facility will be able to experience on-demand travel, explore the control center and visit a showroom featuring virtual reality demonstrations of Glydways projects worldwide.

The hub will also house a 13,000-square-foot maintenance and storage facility to service the growing fleet of Glydcars.

“With this new facility [at the former Hilltop Mall property], we’re giving the public a glimpse of the future, where people can experience ultra-quiet, on-demand transit—just like hailing a rideshare, but with the reliability and affordability of public transit,” said Tim Haile, executive director of CCTA.

Janet Galvez, vice president and investment officer at Prologis, owner of the Hilltop Mall property, said her company is “thrilled” to provide space for Glydways and is continuing to work with the city on future redevelopment plans for the broader mall property.

Richmond City Manager Shasa Curl added that Glydways’ presence “will not only help test new transit solutions but also activate the former Mall site while preparation and finalization of the Hilltop Horizon Specific Plan is underway.

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Alameda County

Last City Council Meeting of the Year Ends on Sour Note with Big Budget Cuts

In a five to one vote, with Councilmembers Carroll Fife and Janani Ramachandran excused, the council passed a plan aimed at balancing the $130 million deficit the city is facing. Noel Gallo voted against the plan, previously citing concerns over public safety cuts, while Nikki Fortunato-Bas, Treva Reid, Rebecca Kaplan, Kevin Jenkins, and Dan Kalb voted in agreement with the plan.

Published

2 days ago

December 24, 2024

Oakland Post

Oakland City Council voted on a plan to balance the $130 million deficit at their last regular meeting of 2024. The plan reduces police spending by $25 million, temporarily closes two fire stations, and guts the cultural arts programs. iStock photo.

By Magaly Muñoz

In the last lengthy Tuesday meeting of the Oakland City Council for 2024, residents expressed strong opposition to the much needed budget cuts before a change in leadership was finalized with the certification of election results.

Oakland police and fire departments, the ambassador program, and city arts and culture will all see significant cuts over the course of two phases.

Phase 1 will eliminate two police academies, brown out two fire stations, eliminate the ambassador program, and reduce police overtime by nearly $25 million. These, with several other cuts across departments, aim to save the city $60 million. In addition, the council simultaneously approved to transfer restricted funds into its general purpose fund, amounting to over $40 million.

Phase 2 includes additional fire station brownouts and the elimination of 91 jobs, aiming to recover almost $16 million in order to balance the rest of the budget.

Several organizations and residents spoke out at the meeting in hopes of swaying the council to not make cuts to their programs.

East Oakland Senior Center volunteers and members, and homeless advocates, filled the plaza just outside of City Hall with rallies to show their disapproval of the new budget plan. Senior residents told the council to “remember that you’ll get old too” and that disturbing their resources will only bring problems for an already struggling community.

While city staff announced that there would not be complete cuts to senior center facilities, there would be significant reductions to staff and possibly inter-program services down the line.

Exiting council member and interim mayor Bas told the public that she is still hopeful that the one-time $125 million Coliseum sale deal will proceed in the near future so that the city would not have to continue with drastic cuts. The deal was intended to save the city for fiscal year 2024-25, but a hold up at the county level has paused any progress and therefore millions of dollars in funds Oakland desperately needs.

The Coliseum sale has been a contentious one. Residents and city leaders were originally against using the deal as a way to balance the budget, citing doubts about the sellers, the African American Sports and Entertainment Group’s (AASEG), ability to complete the deal. Council members Reid, Ramachandran, and Gallo have called several emergency meetings to understand where the first installments of the sale are, with little to no answers.

Bas added that as the new Alameda County Supervisor for D5, a position she starts in a few weeks, she will do everything in her power to push the Coliseum sale along.

The city is also considering a sales tax measure to put on the special election ballot on April 15, 2025, which will also serve as an election to fill the now vacant D2 and mayor positions. The tax increase would raise approximately $29 million annually for Oakland, allowing the city to gain much-needed revenue for the next two-year budget.

The council will discuss the possible sales tax measure on January 9.