#Oakland City Council shares budget 2013-15 priorities
On Thursday (5/23/13) during a special City Council budget meeting, council members shared what they would like to see in the budget. Tonya (@tdlove5) and #oakmtg has the scoop!
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Every two years Oakland City Council decides how it’s going to spend revenue in the general fund to support city employees, including police and fire department, and other services.
This year, the process has been a bit controversial. In the past couple of years, Oakland City Council has been able to negotiate with local govt employees in to making concessions to help the city thru the slow economy. This year, city employees are fed up and would like to recoup what they lost after hearing that Oakland is now on the upswing. We have $8M in increased revenue! However, we still are experiencing cuts to programs due to federal sequestration and the state not supporting local redevelopment. Plus, the Oakland Police Department is suffering due to low staffing and facing reorganization via federal court order.
The City Administrator has special plans for one time reallocation of that $8M, though.. -
Santana recommends how the Council spend that extra money #oakmtg #oakland #oakbudget pic.twitter.com/ryP6AaYgAW -
Anyways..back to my story..
After the Mayor and City administrator submitted their budget proposal,
and organized several town halls asking the public their budget wishes,
council members shared what they will be advocating for. The city
council has until June 30th to pass a budget.Below are a series
of tweets by @tdlove5 and other #oakmtg participants listing city
council budget priorities. -
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(Council member Larry Reid from District 7 was not present
for this meeting).Council member Desley Brooks (District 6) summarizes
her budget priorities with 4 guiding principles and presents a motion
to be adopted by the city council, right then and there! -
Brooks outlines the 4 guiding principles the city should base budget on. #oakland #oakmtg #oakbudget pic.twitter.com/jcT49SAP4v -
She even presented results of a written survey that was handed out at her District 6 budget town hall:
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A survey that Brooks distributed at her budget TownHall #oakmtg #oakland #oakbudget pic.twitter.com/CCo286K7cm -
There was much discussion on this proposal between the council.
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Gallo agrees with Brooks 4 guiding principles. #oakmtg #oakland #oakbudget. So does most of the crowd.
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McElhaney: agrees with Brooks proposal. We have to take care of our people, tax payers, reinvest in our future. #oakmtg #oakland #oakbudget
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CM Schaaf (District 4) made public her concerns
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Schaaf says what’s missing is a reference to economic development, and maintaining infrastructure, or fiscal stability. #oakmtg #oakbudget
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Schaaf: wonders, in light of transparency, that this proposal be vetted to the public. #oakmtg #oakland #oakbudget Comfortable as a draft.
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Schaaf: believes that we need services AND more police. A comprehensive approach. #oakmtg #oakland #oakbudget
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She believed that the principle “#1. A city in which public safety is defined as more than just police” places too much negativity towards #OPD and that #2 should include “a livable city should include other vulnerable populations besides children and seniors..
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Kernighan: In general does like statement that Brooks came up with. Agrees w some of what Schaaf says as well. #oakmtg #oakbudget #oakland
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After CM Dan Kalb (District 1) established that the proposal was broad
enough to make sure that certain elements that are important to
everyone can be addressed by this proposal, -
Kalb responds to Brooks motion.. ( about 4 guiding principles). Does Safe City mean more police AND services? #oakmtg #oakland #oakbudget
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With the understanding that there is many ways to achieve her goals, Kalb is comfortable supporting it. #oakmtg #oakland #oakbudget
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The council took a vote..
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Next..Council member Rebecca Kaplan (at- large) Budget Priorities:
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Kaplan also believes in cleaning the city will also improve public safety. Illegal dumping is out of control #oakmtg #oakland #oakbudget
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Litter abatement, level of illegal dumping in Oak entirely out of control, also critical for safety, crime deterrence-CM Kaplan #oakmtg
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Kaplan says closing rec centers is a problem: it means that young ppl have less access to resources. #oakmtg #oakland #oakbudget
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Kaplan says that all the elected offices should have the same proportionate percentage reductions #oakmtg #oakland #oakbudget
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kaplan: wants to address the affordable housing funding dip in the second year of budget. #oakmtg #oakland #oakbudget.
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Kaplan wants folks to understand it wasn’t #Oakland who cut Head Start, but the federal govt (GOP) who made the cuts. #oakmtg #oakbudget
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Kaplan says there is a position for volunteer coordinator of animal shelter open #oakmtg #oakbudget wants to add more $ to keep shelter open
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Kaplan ended her list with a shout out to Oakland businesses!
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Kaplan: everyone shop in #Oakland. The more you shop in Oakland the more services we are able to keep. #oakbudget #oakmtg
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Council member Noel Gallo (District 5) Budget Priorities
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Gallo: 2. Code enforcement. East, West and Fruitvale. Like taco trucks..they need licenses and permits. #oakmtg #oakland #oakbudget
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Gallo: 3. Head Start ..if you can’t take care of your children then you are having problems. #oakmtg #oakland #oakbudget.
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And a few more..
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Gallo: code enforcement to establish order in business, housing (illegal dumping, etc). #oakmtg #oakland #oakbudget
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Gallo: Also welcomes maintaining senior centers..because some of us will be there sooner or later. #oakmtg #oakland #oakbudget
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Gallo: Seniors have paid their taxes and worked all their life and we need to respect and take care of them. #oakmtg #oakland #oakbudget
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Gallo: would like Wasserman to come and tell them what are his priorities #oakmtg #oakland #oakbudget
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Council member Libby Schaaf (District 4) Budget Priorities
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Schaaf’s other priority is maintaining park maintenance. It’s not included in the budget request. #oakmtg #oakand #oakbudget
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Schaaf: wants to balance public safety investments to address immediate impact & longterm ones..like Head Start #oakmtg #oakland #oakbudget
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Schaaf: 6. also still wants us to address unfunded liability. We are doing nothing to address it. #oakmtg #oakland #oakbudget
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Council member Lynette McElhaney (District 3) Budget Priorities
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.@LynetteGM first thanks city staff for their work and devotion to the budget process. #oakmtg #oakland #oakbudget
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.@LynetteGM thanks #Oakland. Our increased revenue is due to residents spending their money here. #oakmtg #oakbudget
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McElhaney: District 3 residents in particular are interested in programs for youth. #oakmtg #oakland #oakbudget and a clean city.
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. @LynetteGM speaking in support of transparent complement to the budget process, saying that voters want to see change. #oakmtg #oakland
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.@LynetteGM: “The Army Base has become my baby, and I plan to give birth to her in a beautiful and grand fashion.” That’s colorful. #OakMtg
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.@LynetteGM forward thinking and forward looking. Economic development. #oakmtg #oakbudget Also, blight, cleanup and a youth center in #D3
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.@LynetteGM disagrees w further cuts to animal shelter center. We need to maximize volunteers w a robust infrastructure #oakmtg #oakbudget
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Council member Dan Kalb (District 1) Budget Priorities
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Kalb: asks about a line item involving Oakland Academy, and what it would take to continue funding. #oakland #oakmtg #oakbudget
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Kalb: asks about parking stop laws, feels it might bring better revenue if we can better run the parking dept. #oakmtg #oakland #oakbudget
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Kalb: Priorities.. supports increase in hiring more #OPD in more academies. We are way understaffed. #oakmtg #oakland #oakbudget
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Kalb: also support additional $$ to reduce illegal dumping. Our Pub Works Dept says overwhelming top complaint #oakmtg #oakland #oakbudget
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Kalb: doesn’t want to cut affordable housing staff, but wants a plan to get more housing built. #oakland @oakmtg #oakbudget
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Kalb: feels extra concerned over TPT workers. Most of whom has it as a main job w/no benefits. #oakmtg #oakland #oakbudget
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Last but not least Council President Patricia Kernighan (District 2) Budget Priorities
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Kernighan: does agree public safety is a comprehensive thing. Reminds us that General Fund isn’t whole budget. #oakmtg #oakland #oakbudget
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Kernighan: the police funding, while huge part of general fund, it’s only 20% of WHOLE city budget. #oakmtg #oakland #oakbudget
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Kernighan points out in every townhall mtg half of them have been city employees. Says there are other voices. #oakmtg #oakland #oakbudget
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Kernighan says a diverse array constituents who come to neighborhood meetings want more cops. True. #oakmtg
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Kernighan: #Oakland has an immediate crime crisis. Btwn Jan 1- May 19th: 1787 robbereis. 1,000 were done with a firearm. #oakmtg #oakbudget
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Kernighan: 1. want to fill the Animal Control officer positions. 2. Illegal dumping crew.3 Some for graffiti abatement..#oakmtg #oakbudget
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Kernighan: ..also code enforcement. Also restore cut to cultural funding. And more coordinators for NCPCs #oakmtg #oakland #oakbudget
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Hindsight tweet edit: Kernighan wants to restore funding to Cultural Services, not cut them.
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Kernighan: wants to use one $$ to do a Nexus study for a one time impact fee on redevelopment. #oakmtg #oakland #oakbudget.
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Kernighan Asks city staff what is their long term plan to help against blight with only 4 code enforcers? #oakmtg #oakland #oakbudget
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Of course, the public was on hand to voice their concerns and requests. You can get the gist of those by reading a previous post: “#Oakland discusses projected 2013 budget“
To sum up. It looks to me that there are some similarities between what the council members want.
A majority agree that we need to have a comprehensive approach to public safety, but Kernighan, Kalb, and Schaaf place hiring new police as a top priority.
All of them feel that having a clean city is important. Some however have different ideas on what a clean city might mean to their district.. some areas need to get rid of couches, old condoms, grafitti and blight..others need their parks cleaned up just a bit.
Gallo, McElhaney, Brooks, Kaplan and Kalb agree that we need to support city employees..whereas Kernighan and Schaaf think we also need to pay attention to unfunded liability and feel we should address it ASAP. They also believe in having a sustainable economy and investing in economic development.
Whether or not the council feels that there needs to be specific changes to Quan’s budget proposal remains to be seen.
Be sure to check out the next upcoming budget meetings:
Thursday, June 13, 6:30 pm
Thursday, June 27, 6:30 pm for final budget adoptionSo what do you think? Did your council member accurately reflect your budget priorities? How are they different? Be sure to let them know!!
