FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 28, 2024
Securing a Future with More Financial Stability and Support for Vital Services
Oakland, CA (Jun. 28, 2024) — The At-Large Council 2024-2025 Midcycle Budget Amendments and Directives extend beyond the present moment. They are a strategic investment in Oakland’s future, aiming to enhance financial stability and bolster essential services. These proposals prioritize community health and safety while fortifying revenue streams and expanding the City’s tax base.
Included in this communication are links to the At-Large Budget Amendment Spreadsheet and Directives. The spreadsheet provides a comprehensive breakdown of each amendment, while the seven directives take into account both fiscal resilience and community well-being. By embracing these directives, the City will secure its financial future and enhance public services.
Preserving Crime Lab Personnel
In early June of 2024, the Oakland City Council adopted the Oakland Safety Facilities Plan, which identified sites for acquisition to develop or improve safety facilities within Oakland. One such facility for development is a state-of-the-art crime lab in the West Oakland BART station area. As Oakland explores every avenue to improve public safety, the investment in crime-fighting technology and positions is pivotal to reaching new heights of public safety.
To support solving crime, the proposed budget amendments provide funding for three full-time criminalists and one full-time Forensic Technician to support the crime lab. Directive 1 identifies pre-existing crime lab positions. These positions are not funded in the current budget and are on track to be deleted. This directive advocates freezing the positions instead of deleting them to allow for easier hiring in the future. By strengthening the crime lab, Oakland can better solve crime.
Enhancing Pedestrian Safety, Deterring Dangerous Driving, and Crime in Oakland
The budget amendments provide funding to improve pedestrian crossings, visibility, and safety, including allocating funds for traffic calming projects and innovative place-making designs at critical intersections. These designs will enhance crosswalks, making them more visible and user-friendly. We can create safer pedestrian spaces by incorporating art, landscaping, and better signage. Additionally, the amendments propose funding for installing Bollards and K-Rails, sidewalk protection, and other physical objects to deter dangerous driving.
Oakland Pool Maintenance Team
To support the City’s pools, which enhance the quality of life for our community, we propose funding one full-time Maintenance Mechanic and three Pool Technicians who will be part of a Pool Maintenance team. By allocating resources for skilled personnel, the City can enhance pool maintenance, ensure timely repairs, and improve overall Oakland pool safety and functionality.
Supporting Transparency and Democracy in Oakland
It is crucial to ensure democratic engagement and transparency in Oakland. The proposed budget amendment allocates funding for a full-time Ethics Investigator to improve the Ethics Commission's capacity to investigate misconduct allegations and adds a full-time Ethics Analyst II. Additionally, it includes extra funding for the Democracy Dollars Program, which was created to promote voter engagement. This funding will help fill the program's current gap, allowing testing, reporting, file system enhancement, and signature verification.
Fixed-Wing Aircraft, Transitioning to a more effective, less expensive, and less polluting technology
Over the recent years, numerous reports have returned with similar findings, which urge Oakland to make a timely transition from helicopter-serviced air patrol to air patrol utilizing a fixed-wing aircraft. In 2023, the Oakland Police Department returned to the City Council with a comprehensive feasibility report regarding purchasing a fixed-wing aircraft. Among the report's findings is the significant cost difference in maintaining and operating a fixed-wing plane compared to the current helicopter. For example, as reported by the Oakland Police Department, the helicopter's cost is $600 per flight hour. The fixed-wing aircraft has a flight per hour cost of $150.
The annual maintenance cost for the helicopter is $850,000, which is expected to rise due to difficulties in sourcing parts and labor for an aging helicopter at reasonable prices. The fixed-wing aircraft would also reduce fuel use and air and noise pollution. Given the rising costs and the need for responsible fund management, it is evident that transitioning to a fixed-wing aircraft will better serve the public and enhance public safety.
Directive 2 is the next step in this transition, leveraging existing legislation to acquire a fixed-wing aircraft. The directive also sets a clear timeline, requiring the City Administration to present a plan for funding the purchase of a fixed-wing aircraft to the City Council, with all necessary approvals in place no later than the 2025-2027 budget. Investing in a cost-saving and eventually cost-recovering aircraft will substantially reduce maintenance and operation costs while introducing a superior aircraft, ultimately benefiting the city.
Pursuing resources for Zero Emission fleet vehicles
In Oakland, industries are adopting climate-conscious equipment, such zero emissions vehicles. The Port of Oakland launched a $53 million project deploying hydrogen-powered trucks to haul freight. Local entities such as the Port of Oakland and AC Transit are beginning the transition to renewable fleet vehicles. Vehicle manufacturers continue to reduce the cost of zero emissions cars while continuously improving the technology and infrastructure.
The proposed budget amendments provide funds to be used as a local match for grant applications for Electric Vehicle Chargers. Policy Directive 3 heeds the signs of a shifting global market to more efficient, climate-conscious cars and infrastructure. This directive also helps us harness resources and grants for vital local needs and provide better vehicles for city personnel to serve the public. By authorizing the City Administrator to pursue all available grants and funding sources to support the city’s transition to renewable energy fleet vehicles and infrastructure, we are not just investing in the future of Oakland's economy but also in a greener, more sustainable future for our city and the planet.
Sidewalk Repair Unit
By investing in methods to strengthen the Sidewalk Repair Program, Oakland can improve financial recovery, reduce liability, reduce harm to the public, and repair broken sidewalks more rapidly. Oakland provides certain sidewalk repairs for private property sidewalks, with the owner paying the cost more efficiently.
Directive 4 requests the City Administrator to return to the City Council with completion rates and the recovery of funds through the Sidewalk Repair Program. To support the Sidewalk Repair Program, the proposed budget amendments include funding for additional staffing: a full-time Concrete Finisher, two full-time Public Works Maintenance Workers, and a full-time Street Maintenance Leader. These positions will help proactively repair sidewalks to ensure a timely response to damaged or broken sidewalks, reducing injuries, improving pedestrian safety, and minimizing liability and costs.
Recoveries from the Removal of Abandoned Autos
Oaklanders consistently cite abandoned Autos plaguing the public right of way as the most significant issue impacting Oaklanders, following public safety. In 2024, Councilmember Kaplan spearheaded the Abandoned Auto item utilizing Measure BB funds, expanding resources available to the City to combat abandoned vehicles.
Building upon adopted legislation, Directive 5 suggests using money in Fund 2218 to fund critical positions that will significantly aid in reducing the backlog of abandoned cars. Further, the directive requests the City Administrator to report to the Council by March 2025 with information and clarifications regarding fees, outstanding obligations, and tickets. Furthermore, the returning staff should answer or clarify if the program's cost is sufficiently funded by fees associated with or directly from recovered abandoned vehicles.
Abandoned Autos create blight and dismay in Oakland, as well as public health hazards, as toxic materials decay and seep from the stagnant vehicles. It is important to note that the crime and aftermath of abandoned autos overwhelmingly impact underserved communities. By properly investing in positions within the abandoned auto team, the city can begin to address the plight of abandoned autos, bolster revenue streams from fees, and remove blight from underserved areas of Oakland.
Strengthening Revenue Collecting
The city of Oakland’s Revenue Bureau has the challenging task of collecting tax debt owed to the City. To assist them with this responsibility, the 6th Directive calls for the restart of the system that identifies businesses that have not filed. While the City does its utmost to collect outstanding fees, the directive is distinctive, as it focuses on a system that identifies businesses that have yet to file and thus cannot be targeted as outstanding by the existing mechanism.
Expanding Oakland’s tax base through Development and Activation
Oakland should build its tax base to create a more sustainable future. Property tax is the most significant contributor to Oakland’s general fund. Building the tax base can provide stable ongoing revenue to fund vital services. The May 17th, 2024, General Purpose Fund Major Revenue Sources Overview report illustrated the importance of property taxes to Oakland's budget.
Directive 7 recommends expanding the tax base by activating underused sites for economic development. By activating sites in Oakland that are non-revenue generating but have the potential for development, the City can expand its tax base by creating a new stream of ongoing revenue. Furthermore, the directive calls for the City Administrator to return to the Community and Economic Development Committee in the fall of 2024 with an update on the discussions and plans to expand the City’s tax base.
Each directive leverages Oakland's current mechanisms to broaden its revenue base and pave the way for a thriving and sustainable future. It is essential to bolster Oakland’s collection and fiscal systems to secure sustainable revenue for fundamental city services.
