Month: May 2009

Town Hall For Northern Montclarions Tonight

Local construction or solicitors getting you down?

Tonight you can meet with City of Oakland reps who know what to do when there are problems, and can cut to the chase.  For Montclarions living north of Thornhill Drive, there’s a Town Hall meeting tonight at 7pm – at the Highlands Country Club, 100 Hiller Drive (map).

North Hills NCPC

Bad-News Construction Sites

This Town Hall addresses problems related to local construction.  Do you know of a construction site that has been abandoned, has piles of debris, has illegally parked trucks, or is working without proper city permits?  Do you know how to file a complaint?

Rich Fielding, who manages Oakland’s construction complaint/code compliance unit, will review the steps you take when you see issues around your neighborhood.

Irritating or Non-Kosher Solicitors

The meeting also covers solicitors and how to handle them.  Scammers and other nefarious characters have been known to pose as solicitors, so it’s unclear how to react these days.

Are you unsure what to do when a solicitor comes to your door?  Would you like to know what you can do to prevent them from ringing your doorbell?  And what you can do if they persist beyond your “No Solicitors” sign?

Barbara Killey, who works in the City Administrator’s office, can answer your questions about how to handle solicitors of all types.

Other Safety and Hot Topics

We hear that Officer John Haney will attend tonight’s gathering.  As the police officer assigned to Beat 13Y, Haney is up-to-date on the Craigslist robberies and other safety matters around the northern reaches.

To help neighbors out, North Hills Council volunteers will have a few safety items for sale at the meeting:  special FRS radios and “No Solicitation” signs.

Anyway, come join your neighbors at the Town Hall.  These meetings only take place three times a year, and it’s good to meet folks you “know” online.

May 11th Update:  The North Hills Council sent out tips about handling construction blight and solicitors.   Please donate to the Council right here and receive a “no solicitors” sign for your yard.

Our Very Own Craigslist Crime

Advertise for your robbery victims, why not?

By now, you have likely heard about this latest Craiglist crime twist to hit the hills, where the perp lists a car for sale and lures potential buyers to Montclair or Rockridge.  The unsuspecting shopper shows up and gets robbed at gunpoint…lovely.

Here’s what was shared on the Montclair Safety board:

In the Craigslist crime, the robber places an ad on Craigslist advertising a car for sale and provides his own (cell) phone number.  Victims call to inquire about the car, and the robber arranges a meeting at a quiet address, possibly yours.  The victim comes to your house and asks about the car for sale.  You know nothing about it, and turn the victim away.  As he starts to leave, the victim is accosted and robbed.

In the incident on Sunday night, the criminal was seen walking around the block prior to the crime.  He was well dressed, talking on his cell phone, and not particularly remarkable, except that he was wearing a black knit cap.  During the crime, he pulled the cap — actually a black ski mask — down over his face.  This time, the perp was an African American.

An eyewitness called the police and several cruisers were here on the scene in minutes, but not quite fast enough this time.

Wow, our homes are hosting  this “trusted seller” routine.  Our streets are pretty quiet, unless there’s a kid playing or a neighbor walking a dog – so be on the lookout.  We should be able to help the cops nab this guy soon.

Get Yer Second Bulky Pickup

Step right up, and get yer second bulky pickup from Waste Management.

Yes, your spring cleaning dreams can finally come true.  Typically your friendly garbage guys make one “free” bulky pickup as part of their annual service.  In 2009, they are giving out 500 extra pickups to first comers – and you’re eligible if this is your second request of the year.

Oakland - Bulky Pickup

Recycled and non-recycled bulk items can be hauled away.  So now there’s no excuse to keep junk sitting in your laundry room, stuffed into closets, or shoved into unused spaces.  Outside gardening detritus is accepted too.

If you haven’t done this much before, then get ready to focus on your pickup logistics.  The rules say you must tightly arrange your stuff on the curb, and less than a day before the pickup time.

Each pickup is restricted to three cubic yards, which equates to a 3x3x9 foot area or twenty 32-gallon bags.  If you go over the allotted volume, then Waste Management charges $25 per extra cubic yard.

We suggest you check out Oakland Recycles as well as their instruction pamphlet.  Then call Waste Management at 510-613-8710, to ask any questions and schedule your bulky pickup.  The thrill of less awaits you.

Learn About State Props On YouTube

Someone has to try to shine a spotlight on the upcoming May 19th election, which asks for thumbs up or down on California’s budget propositions.  These days, it’s easy to forget Sacramento when focused on Oakland’s own financial travails.  Remember you do have a say – even if slight – in how the state operates too.

Come on, vote. The upcoming election isn’t exciting like that POTUS election, but it’s still worth exercising your civic responsibility.  In this election, you pass judgment on six different ways the state coffers could get shifted around, emptied, and slightly refilled!  Take a minute to check your registration or register to vote by the deadline – Monday, May 5th.

California Prop 1A - Video Intro

For or against the props? Our state representatives, Senator Loni Hancock and Assemblyman Sandre Swanson, are against the propositions and strongly oppose the first one which is about growing rainy day funds and restricting budget use. The League of Women Voters feels that many propositions are short-term fixes, too.  Now that your views are biased, take a look at the propositions and decide for yourself.

Review the ballot here. If you’re registered, then you have seen the propositions in the mail.  I’m betting that you didn’t pay close attention to this voter mailing or maybe even tossed it into the recycle bin.  For starters, the League of Women Voters comes to the rescue with voter and ballot info available through their Smart Voter site.

Watch a few videos instead. The fastest way to get a “lay of the land” is through short YouTube videos.  These videos run under two minutes each – and feature a plain-spoken guy, Stuart Paap, who introduces the props without spin.

  • Prop 1A – State Budget – Video – Description – This prop would enable the State to extend tax increases in place since last February.  There was no guidance about how the tax revenues would be spent, and this prop seeks to put limits on spending with an increased rainy-day fund.
  • Prop 1B – Public Education Funding – Video – Description – Voters previously approved minimum funding for public schools and community colleges.  Some of what’s owed is permitted to be paid back in future years.  This prop requires state to pay the $9.3 billion owed now, from available budget.
  • Prop 1C – California State Lottery – Video – Description – Voters previously approved the lottery for school funding, and about one percent of our state’s school budget comes from this source.  This prop shifts school funding to the state general fund, and permits the state to raise $5 billion now via lottery bonds.
  • Prop 1D – Transfer of Child Development Funds – Video – Description – Voters previously increased the state’s tobacco tax to fund programs for kids up to age five.  There’s $2.5 billion in unspent funds (6/08), and funds would be re-directed to the state general fund for programs like foster care, health care, preschool, childcare, etc.
  • Prop 1E – Transfer of Mental Health Funds – Video – Description – Voters previously passed a one percent tax on personal income over $1 million, for new mental health programs.  There’s $2 billion in unspent funds (6/08), and $460 million would gradually transfer to the state general fund, thus providing mental health services for patients under age 21.
  • Prop 1F – Pay Raises for State Officials – Video – Description – Voters previously approved a state commission to set salaries for legislators, governor and other elected officials.  This prop prevents state officials from getting raises in years when state income falls short of state spending by one percent or more.

More info:   Your Polling Location – Check Your Registration – Register To Vote – Online Registration Form – Easy Voter Guide – Quick Reference Guide To Props – Budget Propositions – Full Voter Information Guide – Google News Results