Just The News

The Die Is Cast

Not that the Oakland City Council members are like Julius Caesar, but they declared “the die is cast” and proceeded across their Budget Rubicon last night.

We think they closed the 2009-2010 budget gap.  After some hand-wringing, seven council reps voted and one abstained for a final round of cuts.  [And they agreed to vote on the rest in two weeks.]  There’s plenty of unfinished business, like working with union negotiators, but few options right this minute.

The Council will vote voted to shave 15 percent from elected officials’ budgets, which includes the mayor, attorney, auditor, council reps and their aides.  In addition, the city planners were hit hard.

During this current budget year, there had to be a place to save another $4 million because this gap wasn’t going to magically disappear.  And another $35 million needs to be hunted down during the next fiscal year, so the clock was running out.

After months of delay, Council President Jane Brunner admitted, “we’re all going to suffer together.”  Not pretty but necessary.

Updates:  Please see voting clarifications above, thanks to V Smoothe and Max Allstadt.  (March 3rd Update)  The Council finally voted for the 15 percent cuts from elected officials’ budgets.  (April 1st Update)

Don’t Ticket The Hills Folks

Today’s local news cycle featured news about parking ticket discrimination, and protests down at City Hall.  “We were trying to make an accommodation,” explained Dan Lindheim, City Administrator.   Guess this didn’t work out too well.

In Oakland, it’s illegal to park in the wrong direction, or on sidewalks.  We recall discussions at City Council meetings last year regarding narrow streets and whether these laws needed to be relaxed.  What would happen in another hills firestorm, when the emergency vehicles needed to pass by?

At that time, Council members directed parking officials to use their discretion.  Fast forward, and that discretion is seen as a classic and discriminatory hills versus flats divide – not cool at all.  Apparently Montclarions are given warnings while folks who park on narrow streets elsewhere have tickets in hand.  Obviously this needs to be equitable!

So get out an Oakland map and identify narrow streets, now.

P.S.  In honor of this parking ticket ruckus, your faithful blogger was asked to contribute to the City’s coffers today in Montclair.  My sinful, ticketed behavior was neglecting to update the license registration sticker.  Sighs.

First Impressions: Mayor’s State Of The City Address

After watching Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums deliver his annual address this evening, we know he needs a better speechwriter or at least some practice time beforehand.  The Mayor rambled from grandiose goals to program details, and back again.  He highlighted the grant money hunt and barely pointed to the elephant in the room – the tough budget cuts and potential taxes ahead.


The most cringe-worthy moments arrived when Mayor Dellums uttered the words  “model” or “model city.”  We regret not keeping a running tally, but estimate at least 50 times or so.  Not surprisingly, he escalated to “the model city is our destiny” at the wrap.

On the flip side, we liked when Dellums threw out hella-love for Oakland because that’s what a mayor should do.  One highlight was when he bragged about our new-found restaurant hipness, declaring that “Oakland is nobody’s country cousin.”  Here, here!

We trust our first impressions, so here are address highlights:

  • Most “come on” moment – The Mayor proclaimed his four years as a foundation and starting point.  Like all politicians, he wanted to burnish his legacy, claiming the 10 percent reduction in crime along with hiring Police Chief Anthony Batts.
  • Truly transparent words – Dellums admitted that local politics are different than D.C., because true cooperation’s needed here.  He pointed to civic-minded, common citizens as the linchpins connecting elected officials and city bureaucrats.  Yes, the Mayor called ’em bureaucrats.
  • Rah, rah for home team – Hey, we might keep the Oakland A’s in Oakland.  The City recently pitched to Commissioner Bud Selig “with dignity, respect and confidentiality,” reported the Mayor.  Now we’ll wait and see.
  • Yup, the port city – We kinda liked this part, when the Mayor declared “let’s stop the City and Port dichotomy.”  He wanted the port to grow by serving the middle of the country, a worthwhile sentiment.  And he dissed Seattle, saying it’s nice competition but too far away.
  • We beg the best – Dellums bragged about our $19 million COPS money from Uncle Sam, the most received by any U.S. city.  He continued to highlight many, if not all, local programs receiving federal stimulus money.  It’s good but old news.

Since Mayor Dellums doesn’t do public appearances that often, we relished watching his very long address on KTOP (Channel 10) this evening.  He should have quit while he was ahead rhetorically, rather than develop a supremely bad case of logorrhea.

Happy New Year To You

Here’s to a happy and prosperous Lunar New Year to you, in the year of the tiger!  This weekend, we went to a special Chinese celebration of Oakland volunteers and it was so heartwarming.

Traditional lions danced to their large drum, with front and backseat drivers directing them through the audience and up to the stage.  The hungry felines expected an offering, and District 4 Council Rep Jean Quan presented a lettuce head to them.  Properly and fully satiated, our lions departed for other New Year’s celebrations throughout the city.

Then it was time for honoring an amazing volunteer line-up.  Rep Quan introduced some 45 individuals and groups who, in turn, described their motivations with the audience.  Generally, these volunteers improved their physical environments, focused on local kids, or brought together neighborhoods.

Several volunteers received small monetary awards, which go a very long way for people who really need them.  One winner, Tony Colman, runs a non-profit bike shop where city kids learn all about bikes and repairs.  Winner Cora Sue Anthony heads A Season of Change, which recruits youth to do home staging – and their floral decorations even made it to the White House!

Also we appreciated the long-term contributions of Eddie Dunbar, who oversees the Insect Sciences Museum of California, and Dale Hagen, who serves as Peralta Hacienda’s president.  And the Cleveland Cascades, near Lake Merritt, were nearly forgotten until Barbara Newcomb and Jim Ratliff began their reclamation work.

What hit me is that volunteers share a certain indescribable spirit.  It’s a marvel to see how many people are motivated to contribute for years and years, simply because they want to improve our city.

North Hills Not Patrolled Much Lately

Did you know that we’re not even patrolled by beat-level police much anymore?  Apparently assignments and shifts have been adjusted, and the North Hills are getting less attention and love.  We learned this exciting news last night, while tuned to KTOP (Channel 10) for the Oakland City Council’s marathon proceedings.

Among the parade of public speakers, our neighbor Jim Dexter came up to the podium to speak his mind.  In his more official volunteer duties, he chairs the North Hills Neighborhood Council (Beat 13Y).  Everyone who lives north of Thornhill, up to the Berkeley border, falls within this group’s purview.

Anyway, Dexter was discussing overall city priorities regarding public safety and was hardly alone.  He also mentioned the current Problem Solving Officer (PSO) assigned to his beat no longer put in full-time hours.  Jim reported recent changes in assignments with, as we understood him, an officer patrolling only one out of four days here.  Yes, that’s 25 percent of the time!

Measure Y is something Oakland voters approved years ago, to increase community police officers.  Compliance seems to be a tricky deal and, without assigned officers full-time, we are effectively violating the terms.  Dexter reminded the Council reps that funds can neither be collected nor used when the force falls below 770 officers.

In the meantime, John Haney serves as the Beat 13Y officer and knows the lay of the land well.  Come meet him at the North Hills steering meeting tonight, from 7-9 pm.  All neighbors are invited to share their safety questions and concerns – at Fire Station 7, 1006 Amito Drive (map).

More info:  We suggest visiting the North Hills Neighborhood Council’s blog here, as well as signing up for their email here.

Feb 26th update:  Correction here, as we learned Officer Haney “had been assigned one day a week (out of his four-day work week) to be on patrol.”  This reassignment translates to a 25 percent loss.  Please read Jim Dexter’s comments below.