"I am here and want to continue working for you. Living wage jobs need to be created, businesses brought to Oakland, schools need improvement and “quality of life” issues made a top priority. With over two decades of activism and commitment to Oakland, I know what it takes to find solutions and navigate through governmental bureaucracy to get things done."
PLATFORM
HOUSING
Oakland is overburdened with low income housing. It is the recipient of 90% of all low income development for Alameda County, this also includes senior housing. For the last 50 years, Oakland has allowed itself to be placed in this situation because it has existed on Federal and State handouts aka grants and subsidies that have enriched the City’s budget.
A good friend of mine who works for the Red Cross, told me when there is a disaster in Alameda County and families need housing, the only city that has housing for those who are unable to cover their own cost or have family is Oakland.
Other cities in Alameda County are building senior housing because seniors do not pose a threat. The tax breaks for the developers and non-profits are substantial which is why these developments occur.
One of the worst laws that another mayoral candidate takes full credit for was passed in Oakland. This ordinance has placed many landlords either out of business or have caused them to walk away from their property. These are “mom and pop” landlords who moved, rented their residence and have been held ransom thanks to rent control law Measure EE. The cost to landlords (which also includes attorney fees) is $4,000 to $10,000 to get rid of squatters or problematic tenants. Vacant properties have become a major problem in Oakland and are havens for illegal activity.
Where is Oakland obtaining its funding? This is a very serious question. How can Oakland reverse this long standing acceptance that it needs to be the high percentage recipient of low income housing while surrounding city's flourish with viable businesses and a strong sales tax base?
There are a lot of non-profit developers that have centered their developments in Oakland but do not even live or maintain their businesses here.
The Oakland Housing Authority (OHA) thought they could better serve their clients by purchasing multi-unit buildings and allowing Section 8 vouchers to be used in neighborhoods. The reality of this action brought crime and lack of property maintenance which in turn brought problems to those neighborhoods following the passage of this ordinance.
Several ordinances and the City Charter needs to be reviewed and addressed as well as a major overhaul of Oakland’s budget and departments.
Oakland needs to take care of what is already in existence and stop building new housing units. Oakland needs to define and address the many issues that neighborhoods have been trying to resolve for numerous years.
In addition to this, Oakland does not charge developers fees to repair the infrastructure related to the area surrounded by the development....Oakland continuously gives away the baby with the bath water while the housing being built is of poor quality, sub-standard and needs retrofitting. Jerry's 10K housing plan is a perfect example of what a City should not do.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Public Safety is a major concern for many who live/work in Oakland. The concern depends on where you live. The flatlands are more concerned about graffiti, illegal dumping, side shows and everyday quality of life issues. The hills (until the crash of 2008), were barely impacted by crime but now has serious concerns about public safety.
Since the 1980's Oakland has had three dynamic police chiefs. Chief George Hart, Chief Joseph Samuels and Chief Anthony Batts. Chief Samuels left the department because he refused to be micro managed. Chief Batts came to Oakland because he admired Mayor Ron Dellums and thought he could return true Community Policing to Oakland. The City Council killed off Community Policing along with other programs they are now attempting to reinvent with no expertise and minimal success. The City lost smart inspections, the Beat Health Unit, Service Delivery Teams, NSC's and an ongoing effort to do away with NCPC's. The council also found a way to reduce the effectiveness of the Community Policing Advisory Board (CPAB) which was formed to work with and guide the police department in the Community Policing philosophy and programs.
Public Safety Position Statement
As Chair of the Beat 29X Millsmont/Evergreen/Millsbrae NCPC (formerly known as Burbank/Millsbrae), I am very much in support of our Oakland Police Department. The department is understaffed through no fault of their own. Priorities in the City of Oakland have been directed towards housing development, not services or retail. Due to cutbacks and a hiring freeze, the loss of officers is due to attrition, and recruitment by other cities. City services that deal with public safety receive little to no assistance from our city leaders.
The Riders case has placed a hold on how the police function and damaged morale. The police do not have one boss but four: the Mayor, City Council, City Administrator and the Judge who is overseeing the Rider’s lawsuit and his appointed overseer. The Judge has ordered the police department to follow certain guidelines established by a Washington DC non-profit group. Had our city fathers not settled a 10 million lawsuit as a result of the Riders case we might not be in our current predicament. That lawsuit was settled prior to any of the (4) officers being charged or found guilty. This case went to trial twice before it was eventually dismissed.
On top of the Riders case and the $10 Million dollar lawsuit, there was the hiring freeze that reduced OPD to less than 700 officers. The icing on the cake was the passage of Measure Y which was devised by certain council members and encouraged by individuals and groups who saw this as a way to get more police. Unfortunately this measure has been a boondoggle since its inception. Instead of understanding how becoming a police officer is a long, tedious process, the measure was pushed as an answer to hiring more officers and saving Oakland from media embarrassment. Measure Y is about to expire and has brought little to no success other than to take in over $200 million dollars. The new ballot measure, Measure Z does not provide any additional officers. In fact the City can be reduced to one officer and still collect money. The charge to property owners is $99.77, $10.00 more than the $88.00 we are currently being charged. A cost of living increase is built into the measure every year for over the next 10 years. Eighty officers have been laid off in the past and the department is always threatened with more layoffs. If the measure does not pass, one has to wonder when the City is going to admit that Measure Y and all its baggage was and is a grab for dollars and not the safety of Oakland. A couple of lawsuits have been filed behind Measure Y. Two individuals were removed from the Measure Y Oversight Committee because of their strong opinions/voices. Like several other Boards and Commissions in the City, we now have a totally non-functional Measure Y Oversight Committee; the audits conducted are a sham. The City has found it convenient to constantly ask property owners to cover this bill when money is needed. Police and Public Safety services is city wide therefore everyone needs to pay into the program; especially if there is a need to raise money. The reality, there is not a sales tax base in Oakland because there are no viable businesses. Therefore the sales tax cannot be raised by 1%. A large majority of Oakland residents go to other cities to do their shopping.
OPD has systematically been cut to the bone. What was once a working relationship with Oakland communities is now stymied. The Neighborhood Services Coordinators (NSCs) the contacts and backbone of Community Policing have been glorified canvassers acting at the whim of Council members and city departments heads. The funding for the NSCs has been part of the police budget for more than 20 years. In one fell swoop, the move by Council and at the behest of a former City Administrator, funding is no longer available for this group of dedicated, hardworking individuals who were our direct line to OPD. After moving them out of OPD, Community Policing became very convoluted and unrecognizable. After a 10 year absence, the NSCs will finally return to OPD which will be the impetus to reestablish Community Policing in Oakland.
For a judge to state that his guidelines need to be followed and it does not matter crime is escalating in the City is mismanaging the rights of innocent people vs. the rights of criminals. After shortcuts and the "nobody will fail command" by a former Chief, public safety and morale at OPD has suffered tremendously. This led to the complete disbandment of Community Policing by a former commander which was a slap in the face to those living and protecting Oakland. Reducing qualifications of new hires to fill quotas and political expectations will leave us in a bigger mess and possibly cause more officers to be killed in months to come. Mayor Dellums made one outstanding decision with the hiring of a dynamic, progressive thinker, Chief Anthony Batts. He departed shortly after our current mayor took the reins. Unfortunately Judge Henderson and Chief Warshaw are now running OPD and morale is at an all-time low. There is not any leadership in the police department and is being micro managed by the Mayor and Council. If only all of the police officers would step up to the plate. Oakland leaders need to get out of the way and stop playing political games. Fully implement the philosophy of Community Policing, give OPD the staff and tools needed to run an effective department and stop reinventing the Strategic Plan. Oakland could have a dynamic police department if it promoted qualified brass that rank and file respect and will follow. Finally, let the police do their job!! Everyone should support an Anti-Loitering/Curfew Ordinance to give the police another tool to bring crime under control. Truancy is a major concern because of loss in revenue to OUSD and possibly the reason why there is a rise in car thefts and home burglaries. Make the Loitering/Curfew Ordinance a must!
The final disrespect to Oakland and her citizens is lack of follow through from the District Attorney's office. A statement made by previous District Attorney Tom Orloff was, his office will only move on cases that are winnable. Health department citations are not important and his office has better things to do; this borders on criminal negligence. The irony is current District Attorney Nancy O'Malley is continuing her predecessors legacy. Hiding behind ethics of the law as a reason to decline prosecution is criminal. Parents need to be held accountable for the juvenile crime wave occurring throughout the city, with a “no tolerance” stance taken by all of law enforcement.
I have read many emails from different neighborhood list servs about the constant crime in their neighborhoods. I hope their voices will make the same statement at the polls.
ENVIRONMENT
Climate change is here and overpopulation is doing serious harm to the planet. Other countries are engaged in war and we continue opening our doors allowing other countries to dump their humanity problems on us; what a few consider “guilt” to save the rest of the world. This at the expense of our elderly and our youth; they are our future.
There is a need to re-evaluate the use of pesticides and the deaths associated with it. There is a need to re-evaluate the monster farming and husbandry industry that have become conglomerates. The loss of small farmers and family units which oversaw quality food sources, has led to food waste. This is due to overzealous produce production and out of control epidemics. Because greed and fast turnover is the driving force, quality work is forgotten. Quality work results in the production of healthy foods and quality goods/merchandise delivered to the consumer.
Water is at a premium and will be the new norm from now on...greed has opened the doors to more elaborate oil seeking formats and productions such as fracking which in turn contaminates our ground water and expedites earth tremors; unstable and harmful reactions to the land/planet.
Rainforests are being devastated; this is our oxygen source which sustains life on the planet. Pesticides are contaminating the oceans and ground waters. Animals are being culled for hides, ivory etc. The need to produce vegetation foreign to most of the planet and derived from manufactured genes by one or two companies who base their production and ideas on greed is being done at the expense of humanity.
The future is bleak and we have not learned a thing from history. We continue to repeat and devastate the world we live in. Population control needs to be addressed!
DIVERSITY
Oakland is a very diverse city and will always remain that way. Change is constant and new; beginnings will always be around the corner as will neighbors and friends.
Gentrification is a word that has no basis because change is constant! Diversity is part of Oakland’s landscape.
Oakland’s diversity is what makes her so unique!!!
BUSINESS
Oakland is starved for business and that means jobs!!! Crime unfortunately is BIG business in Oakland and because of the high crime rate, businesses will not come to Oakland. The money and purchasing power are here, but most residents elect to spend their money in other cities. Not every child will attend college. We need to return HOPE into their lives with jobs where they will be successful; such as manufacturing. Over the last 20+ years, we have traded our work force for cheap overseas labor. We have seen a massive loss and closure of old reliable businesses and towns that once made American goods, were successful, had pride and stood tall! We don't have that anymore...How many children do you know who live at home, have a degree, can't find work but are working at McDonalds just to have some type of income? How many laid off friends and/or former co-workers do you know unable to find work?
Are we angry yet? Are we fed up yet? We need to return jobs and the economy to the United States. We cannot continue to save the rest of the world at the expense of our citizens. Guns, crime, blatant disrespect for people's right, the law, and lack of civility are, for many, a daily issue and at the forefront of media news. Oakland is considered the 9th worst City in the USA. For the past several years, Oakland has been at the top of the list for most dangerous cities.
We have new start up's, over flow is coming from San Francisco, mom and pop businesses are predominant and yet they don't hire at a volume needed to bring positive change and HOPE to our City. Overpopulation needs to be addressed. The future cannot continue to sustain growth and will only continue to accelerate mayhem in our society.
We cannot continue to believe construction projects are needed to employ individuals. There are way too many vacancies and not enough businesses to fill the niche. Construction jobs are short term and a minimal number of workers are hired.
Is there an answer? Yes. It is going to take anger and demands by us, the voters/citizens not only in Oakland but across the country to make our voices heard. It is going to take electing representatives at every level that GET AND UNDERSTAND how the system works.
Greed is what runs this country and the world! We keep accepting and settling! Occupy had the right premise when they first started out but lost it when they decided leaders were not needed and they wanted to feed the homeless, etc… Instead, what could have generated major, positive change, (i.e. bringing banks to their knees and saving people's homes) (which is what Iceland did), individuals lost homes and jobs.
The educational system is the lowest it has ever been. At one point in time, Oakland used to set the example for other jurisdictions. Now we are lucky if we are on par with the rest of the world.
Jobs are needed and tax laws need to be changed to keep companies from looking elsewhere. Sustainable wages are needed and workers need to be respected and paid accordingly. Workers should not live wondering what tomorrow will bring.
Is there an easy answer to solving Oakland’s business outlook? NO because the federal laws have been manipulated by a handful of individuals whose main objective is to become wealthy. Until Oakland's leadership admits and accepts that crime in Oakland IS big business and makes a concerted effort to address this issue seriously, Oakland will continue to experience problems attracting major business and much needed jobs.
In recent years, Oakland has not put forth an effort to be a business friendly city nor has there been representation on the Council with the exception of Dick Spees and Henry Chang who had inkling on what needed to be done to maintain and bring businesses to this City.
I would like to see the business tax reduced and parking fees brought to a level that will entice individuals and businesses to locate to various districts throughout Oakland. The ability to shop and walk to and from home to the shopping districts is a must. If there is a need to build housing, (which I do not advocate) it requires that we first get our own house in order by building quality market rate housing.
Oakland is receiving the overflow of workers from San Francisco and with positive action should create less vacant properties and a move to start addressing quality of life issues throughout neighborhoods in Oakland.
The school system in Oakland is a major concern. We have teachers that can't teach because they are babysitters. We have students that want to learn but instead have to take second place to disruptive students that put a threat into a lot of the classrooms. OUSD is, like the rest of Oakland, divided by the Hills vs the Flats, parent involvement vs little to non existent and commited teachers who are low paid compared to other jusrisdictions.
OUSD has a huge truancy rate and low scores which intern becomes an invitation to criminal and gang activity. PTA's are welcomed in the school in the Hills and descouraged in the flats.
OUSD is constantly asking for money from property owners and yet nothing improves. On top of the taxes that we are already paying OUSD is again asking the voters to approve another $120.00 to be added on to the already huge property taxes come this November. Where is all the money going when nothing seems to be improving and the quality of education is at the bottom. Many send their children to the Charter Schools because they are looking for better education and learning procedures. The Charter Schools do not pay Union wages and can let the teachers go at will.
We need to ask how this has become so devisive and why are the children paying the price. The County of Alameda has been sitting on Millions of dollars that is supposed to be gong into fundig the teachers at OUSD. Audits are way over due and need to be done by a reputable outside agency not connected to any of the governmental agencies.
I have sat on the Burkhalter School Site Council. I saw first hand how nothing could get accomplished and the control which became threatend if the Council asked a question that needed actual data based results.
Teachers want to teach and not feel threatened and the majority of the students want to learn. Parents need to be held responsible for the actions of their children and make sure that attendance is first and foremost for the well being of the child as well as the financial well being of the schools.
EDUCATION
Title. Double click me.
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