As I wrote last night,”Oakland is a Roman circus, ‘short-term government palliatives offered in place of a solution for significant long-term problems.”

A new citizens group is just forming – Make Oakland Better Now. One of the three areas of focus is Transparency, Accountability and Budget. Another area is Infrastructure – streets included.

Smart people, good at research, are needed. Some knowledge of public policy and ability to read those confusing financial statements helps! I am not one of the organizers but I am a volunteer.

How long will this city of 370,000 remain shabby? As long as it is tolerated. We get what we settle for.

Mountain Blvd. has been on the wait list for utility undergrounding since 1989. When we moved here in 2000, we were assured that the wires draped across our living room windows would be gone by 2010. Checked into it a few years ago, and found it was going to be pushed off to 2015. And now, I just checked, I see they’re saying there is a 40 year – yes 40 YEAR – wait for new undergrounding projects in Oakland. I’ll bet we won’t see this project completed until well past 2020. I’ll also bet the folks who originally petitioned for the undergrounding will be DEAD before they see it happen.

http://www.oaklandpw.com/Page65.aspx
http://www.oaklandpw.com/Asset1127.aspx

And, to make you even happier about Oakland infrastructure – ever wonder why our streets suck? Wonder no more…

“Currently on an 85-year resurfacing cycle, which means a street will be resurfaced once in your lifetime. The industry standard is a 25-year cycle.”

http://www.oaklandpw.com/Page281.aspx

As long as you accept that a telephone pole can fall onto your head like a pile-driver while taking a walk, you’ll be able to enjoy living here!