Oakland has ideas

Some Oakland officials head into today' budget work session with eyes on budgeted more police officer positions; Hints that Alameda County's Reparation Commission will need another extension past 2026

☕️MORNING BUZZ

—How do you balance a $130 million budget shortfall in less than a month? Some members of the Oakland City Council have ideas.

At a special budget workshop this morning, Oakland councilmembers will offer a menu of amendments to the budget delivered earlier this month by then-Interim Oakland Mayor Kevin Jenkins.

Unsurprisingly, the focus is on Oakland’s two most pressing issues: public safety and housing.

In addition, several councilmembers are seeking more than the 678 sworn police officers proposed in Jenkins’ budget.

• ZACH UNGER: “Our first budget priority must always be public safety. Everything else is directly dependent on our ability to keep residents, employees, and businesses safe,” Unger wrote in his budget memo. He wants a goal of funding up to 800 police officers, fully funding the Oakland Fire Department, selling bonds to fund road improvements and housing, and reviewing “high-cost” Community Benefit Organizations for their effectiveness.

• KEN HOUSTON: “Public safety is my top priority. Without it, the current trajectory of Oakland will remain unchanged,” Houston wrote in his budget memo. He wants to maintain a minimum of 750 police officers, and increase penalties for illegal sideshows in Oakland. “The current leadership has led us into a financial crisis, exacerbating existing problems and undermining public trust… Without a secure and stable environment, no other improvements can be effectively implemented.”

• NOEL GALLO: The status of the Oakland Coliseum sale to the African American Sports and Entertainment Group (AASEG) is Gallo’s top priority. The focus is an outlier among his councilmates. He wants a “full review” of AASEG’s real estate transactions with the city, and to explore the potential sale of underutilized city assets, including the City Hall Parking Garage, and an immediate hiring freeze at the mayor’s office, council offices, and city administrator’s office.

• CARROLL FIFE: Partner with county and state to address the unsheltered problem with supportive services at vacant municipal properties, and support a “day labor/entrepreneur program” for unhoused individuals. Fife would also fully fund the Ceasefire program, Head Start, and former Mayor Sheng Thao’s program to incentivize television and film shoots in Oakland.

On Tuesday, staff from the city’s finance department reiterated their belief the $87 million budget shortfall currently attach to the current Fiscal Year 2024-25 budget will be balanced, but just barely.

—More inside:

• No news is good news at East Bay MUD? Maybe not, as the burgeoning controversy will simmer for another few weeks or more.

• Alameda County’s Reparation Commission, created in early 2023, was supposed to be done with its work by now. It might take even longer to finish, according to a supervsor’s comments.

• The California Apartment Association renewed its fight over housing with state Sen. Aisha Wahab.

• Reps. Ro Khanna and Lateefah Simon are back from D.C. Both are holding town halls this week.

—411 ON THE 510—Become an East Bay Insiders subscriber today and get FULL ACCESS to the inside scoop every weekday morning at 6 a.m. It’s what the insiders read.

—EBI PODCAST—Download and listen to the East Bay Insiders Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify below: