Supervisor's dire budget forecast: 'There will be a gap'
PLUS: Oakland council committee moves forward plan to phase-out its eviction moratorium, Fife castigates white and 'yellow' landlords; Hayward appoints a new councilmember in record time
COUNTY NEWS
ALAMEDA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
—READING THE TEA LEAVES—Alameda County will certainly have a budget shortfall leading into the next fiscal year. It’s just a matter of how large the hole will be.
—The county administration will unveil the budget deficit at an Apr. 27 budget meeting, but there are signs it could be a bigger number than usual.
—“We’re in a more precarious situation,” as opposed to the outlook this time last year, said county staff at Tuesday’s special budget meeting.
—“There will be a gap,” Supervisor Keith Carson said, point-blank, while referencing one of the largest county shortfall ever, a $177 million deficit recorded during the depths of the Great Recession in 2009.
—While some supervisors were broaching the subject of potential new programs, Carson nudged them the other way, citing the current atmosphere of uncertainty that includes reports of low early tax receipts at the state-level, stubborn inflation, and high interest rates.
—The state’s May budget revise could also alter the county’s budget forecast, said County Administrator Susan Muranishi. Tax returns filed late due to flooding in the state could also impact the county’s budget. If significant, Muranishi said, the new numbers may require adjustments after the county budget is approved next June.
—Here’s some facts and figures from Tuesday’s lengthy budget hearing:
The county has received and spent $324 million in American Rescue Plan Act money, which arrived in two tranches. The second half of the funding was allocated last December, and is not included in the county’s annual operating budget.
Health Care Services and Social Services make up nearly $2 billion of the county’s annual budget.
500,000 residents receive some type of social services from the county. Thirty-eight percent of that number are Oakland residents. “That is incredible. I can’t say it enough,” said Supervisor Nate Miley, who represents a portion of the city.
Public Works worries that continued storms are depleting its budget. However, they are hopeful state and federal reimbursement for storm-related damage will help. FEMA money, however, takes a long time to be refunded, said Public Works Director Daniel Woldesenbet said. For example, he said, the county is still working with FEMA for the 2017 storms.
“If these storms continue they could break government,” Woldensbet said while urging for better funding and public outreach.
The sheriff’s budget is up 6.4% because of county counsel costs, said Alameda County Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez.
Miley said he wishes Oakland Police would do more traffic stops, noting the large number of guns confiscated this year by the county sheriff’s deputies after pulling motorists over.
Sanchez said deputies are finding many ghost guns, both 3-D versions and firearms pieced together online.
Alameda County Sheriff’s Office spent $60 million in overtime costs last year.
CITY NEWS
OAKLAND
—PHASE 1—A plan to phase-out Oakland’s eviction moratorium by September was moved forward by the council’s Community and Economic Development Committee on Tuesday night.
—But the support for Councilmembers Nikki Fortunato Bas’ and Dan Kalb’s proposal was met with lukewarm enthusiasm by members of the committee.
—Councilmembers Noel Gallo and Kevin Jenkins had qualms with the current iteration of the plan. Although both voted to bring it to the full council on Apr. 18.
—“I think we’re going to get to a good policy,” Jenkins said. “We just got to keep working at it.”
—Throughout the lengthy committee meeting, councilmembers and some tenants’ advocates were repeatedly jeered by landlords and their supporters inside the council chambers.
—FIFE FIGHT—Never one to back away from a fight, Oakland Councilmember Carroll Fife may have went too far on Tuesday night when she made a derogatory reference to “yellow” people.
—“I don’t want to hear another white, yellow, whatever person talk about what my ancestors experienced about being enslaved and making that akin to being a landlord,” Fife said near the end of the meeting.
—The comment was preceded by Fife taking umbrage with some speakers who asserted she “stole” the infamous house made famous by Moms 4 Housing advocates. Fife said she “bought” the house.
HAYWARD
—HEART OF THE RAY—Newly appointed Alameda County Supervisor Elisa Marquez’s previous seat on the Hayward City Council may have still been warm on Tuesday night when her former colleagues chose her replacement.
—Hayward councilmembers selected Ray Bonilla, a planning commissioner for the city, as Marquez’s successor. Bonilla is the second appointment made by the council since the beginning of the year. In addition, four of its seven members have been added since the November election.
—The council sided with a city staff recommendation to forego a new round of application and, instead, rely on interviews left over from last January’s selection of Dan Goldstein.
—There was little debate over Bonilla’s qualifications, leading to his unanimous selection. Marquez, on hand to received a commendation for her service as a councilmember, endorsed Bonilla’s appointment.
—“The city should really be proud that we are able to grow own talent. We’re able to grow own town folk,” Mayor Mark Salinas said of the recent Hayward-born and raised additions to the council.
