Oakland, By Phil Tagami – Perhaps the time has come to realize that the experiment of professional career politicians failed Oakland – this cohort has “pooched” it pretty bad.
Deficit Municipal budgets after a decade of record revenues year after year and the policies have not made us safer, healthier, or prosperous, solved a housing crises, or funded the billion+pension hole of our public employees… that our Grand children will inherit the life time medical and 90% salaried pensioners ride. Where did the money go? Ghost-ship settlement, a revolving door of police chiefs, the never ending consent decree, Warriors, Raiders?
For the record, I get the save the world and change starts at home concept, but perhaps we can get a handle on the basics before we add the school play and several other extra curricular activities…just sayin’
So should we change the charter to right size the municipal government and start by making the board of directors part time volunteers?
Newly formed groups like ACCE use take over tactics to advance (or bully) their policies forward and drown out any debate with “cancel politics” like that internet cyberbully you love to troll. Mom’s for housing was good start, but will that play book fix the parks, pick up trash, and fill a pot holes?
I am going to keep an open mind, its about 107 days to election day during a pandemic – Yet they may be on to something… is it a defund the government campaign? or defund the council? or why should we bother halfhearted open Democratic elections and a representative form of government selected by rank choice voting if nothing gets done…
Perhaps we should let the voters decide if we need a new charter? Term limits, no strong Mayor, no elected city attorney? With no accountability and no willing soul to take responsibility for the dumpster fire at Oakland City Hall… Perhaps we need to have a con con and re-write the City Charter!
Your thoughts ?