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Jaime Omar Yassin

Jaime Omar Yassin

10 Years of OPD Academy Data Show Decreasing Recruitment

10 Years of OPD Academy Data Show Decreasing Recruitment

Oakland’s election landscape has been unusual in the last several years— the impact of a mayoral recall has mixed with races for vacated offices with visible presence of large amounts of tech, finance and real estate/landlord money from outside of the city. Candidates have ranged from a fired

After Optimistic Predictions, County Falls Short Again on Coliseum DA Transfer Approval

After Optimistic Predictions, County Falls Short Again on Coliseum DA Transfer Approval

One of the last major steps in AASEG’s now Sisyphean negotiations with Alameda County [ALCO] to finalize the purchase of the Oakland Coliseum site looked like it was just days away from being finalized last Thursday, according to Supervisors and an agendized City negotiator report back. But on Tuesday

The Oakland Observer Will Publish a Little Later Than Usual This Week

Monday's have become the established publication day for the Oakland Observer Newsletter covering the previous week's events. This week, OO will be published on Wednesday to accommodate potential events in developing stories. Thanks for your patience and your continued support.

Hesitation at Rules Committee Over Sanctuary City Reaffirmation; CPRA Director Muir Warns of Defunding Agency in Final Address to OPC

Hesitation at Rules Committee Over Sanctuary City Reaffirmation; CPRA Director Muir Warns of Defunding Agency in Final Address to OPC

Rules Committee’s Caution on Agendizing “Sanctuary City Affirmation” May Reflect Governor's Concerns on Trump/MAGA Retaliation Interim City Council President Noel Gallo promised residents he would bring legislation addressing Oakland's potentially precarious situation for immigrant residents last month at an immigrants' rights event. So

CMs Will Introduce New Revenues to Keep 4 Fire Stations Open; a New Financial Report Projects Deficit Amid Ongoing Cost-Cutting but City Admin Says Budget Will be Balanced by Fiscal Year's End

CMs Will Introduce New Revenues to Keep 4 Fire Stations Open; a New Financial Report Projects Deficit Amid Ongoing Cost-Cutting but City Admin Says Budget Will be Balanced by Fiscal Year's End

At a March 4 Council meeting, CMs Janani Ramachandran, Rebecca Kaplan and Zac Unger are scheduled to introduce revenue-allocating legislation that would keep open four Oakland firehouses slated for closure in December’s spending cut plan. The proposed OFD re-funding plan—which the City Administrator’s Office [CAO] supports and

CMs Announce Plan to Keep Fire Stations Open—But Issues Around New Revenue & Contract Cancellations May Grow; CAO Rescinds Significant Number of Layoffs, Sends New Layoff Notices; Police Commission Budget Reduced to Level of one OPD Officer's Salary

CMs Announce Plan to Keep Fire Stations Open—But Issues Around New Revenue & Contract Cancellations May Grow; CAO Rescinds Significant Number of Layoffs, Sends New Layoff Notices; Police Commission Budget Reduced to Level of one OPD Officer's Salary

A week of visibly colliding city hall interests has left questions about the future of the cost-cutting City budgetary actions taken in December by the City Administrator’s Office [CAO] and supported by the City Council. Last Tuesday morning, a coalition of unions held a rally in front of city

Administration's Layoffs Contested, Eviction Defense Grant in Limbo, as Council Slow to Agendize Growing Budget Problems

Administration's Layoffs Contested, Eviction Defense Grant in Limbo, as Council Slow to Agendize Growing Budget Problems

In December, Oakland's City Administrator’s Office [CAO] asked the City Council to affirm a plan to lay off 91 city workers in February as a necessary tool for closing Oakland’s sizable budget deficit. The layoffs would follow already brutal cuts to city services and programs, including