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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

City Administrator’s Office Announces Layoffs and $2.6 MM Grant Cuts While Pared Down Council Meetings Continue Amid Other CAO Spending Requests; Judge Ursula Jones-Dickson Chosen as Interim District Attorney Appointee in Split Vote

City Administrator’s Office Announces Layoffs and $2.6 MM Grant Cuts While Pared Down Council Meetings Continue Amid Other CAO Spending Requests; Judge Ursula Jones-Dickson Chosen as Interim District Attorney Appointee in Split Vote

CAO Announces Layoffs and $2.6 MM Grant Cuts; Pared Down Council Meetings Continue Amid Other CAO Requests for Increased Spending Oakland's City Administrator Jestin Johnson announced long-anticipated layoffs in an email to staff this week, according to sources and an internal memo sent Thursday, viewed by this

Council Meetings Short on Duration and Legislation Under Gallo's Leadership; City Vehicular Homeless Evictions Increasingly Led by OPD; Mitchell Details Possible Pursuit Changes, Describes Lengthy Timeline

Council Meetings Short on Duration and Legislation Under Gallo's Leadership; City Vehicular Homeless Evictions Increasingly Led by OPD; Mitchell Details Possible Pursuit Changes, Describes Lengthy Timeline

Short Meetings with Few Items Typify Gallo's Council as He Struggles to Fill President Role; Homeless Advocates Speak Out Against Increasing Camp Evictions Oakland’s City Council continues to have a light legislative load as the body's latest meeting last Tuesday came in at 55 minutes,

AASEG Deal Closer to Finish Line; Police Commission Goes on Offense at Town Hall Meeting; Thao Indictment Relies Heavily on Juarez Claims/Texts

AASEG Deal Closer to Finish Line; Police Commission Goes on Offense at Town Hall Meeting; Thao Indictment Relies Heavily on Juarez Claims/Texts

ALCO BOS Passes Non-Binding Term Sheet/ Commitment to Closing Coliseum DA Transfer, Clearing One of the Last Hurdles for AASEG’s Historic Coliseum Purchase Alameda County’s Board of Supervisors passed legislation on Tuesday to trigger key steps in closing the last chapters in AASEG’s now-odyssean Coliseum deal saga.

New Council Off to Cacophonous & Unsteady Start

New Council Off to Cacophonous & Unsteady Start

On Tuesday, Oakland’s new City Council took impactful decisions. The Council– with three new members and a vacancy—elected its new President, and in essence, chose an interim Mayor who will preside over Oakland’s biggest budget challenges in years. The Council also elected a President Pro Tempore who

First Council Meetings of 2025 Will Introduce 3 New Members, Seat Mayoral Interim, Consider D2 Vacancy Role & Consider .5% Sales Tax Increase

First Council Meetings of 2025 Will Introduce 3 New Members, Seat Mayoral Interim, Consider D2 Vacancy Role & Consider .5% Sales Tax Increase

Two meetings on Monday and Thursday this coming week will start a front-loaded year of critical political processes for the City of Oakland. A strikingly different Council will be seated on Monday as current interim Mayor Nikki Fortunato Bas resigns her term at the City and takes up her seat

Council Affirms Cuts, Approves Funds, & Transfers Mayoral Seat, As Half of Council Body Bid Colleagues and Public Farewell at Last Meeting of 2024

Council Affirms Cuts, Approves Funds, & Transfers Mayoral Seat, As Half of Council Body Bid Colleagues and Public Farewell at Last Meeting of 2024

In a rare night of legislative gravitas and personal farewells, Council affirmed a difficult menu of budget choices that could see severe cuts in Oakland Fire [OFD] services and Culture and Arts funding, and an emergency-brake reining in of OPD overspending. The meeting also took an unexpected twist when two

At Council This Week, 12/16 & 12/17

At Council This Week, 12/16 & 12/17

[please see this article for budget related items] 12/16 Agenda Amend Beautification Council Contract Amount The legislation will authorize already budgeted Measure Q funds in the amount of $600K for ongoing work by Beautification Council in cleaning and garbage pickup around homeless encampments. BC already receives a city-brokered Caltrans