March 16,2021 Oakland Council Meeting: Discussing Oakland’s Steps to Recovery & MACRO
March 15, 2021
At Today’s, March 16, 2021, Oakland Council meeting, I am introducing my proposed budget allocations to close the City’s short fall and restore vital community services — allowing for a just and healthy recovery. My colleagues, Council president Nikki Bas and Councilmember Dan Kalb are introducing a resolution to expedite a community-informed implementation of the Mobile Assistance Community Responders of Oakland (“MACRO”) within the Fire Department. These two items are of great importance, I welcome you to join the conversation.
Zoom Information: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88330066369 Webinar ID: 883 3006 6369
Share your comments via Ecomment;
Raise “your hand” during the call for public comment. This is at the beginning of the meeting, 1PM; and/or
Email your council members directly!
Budget Allocation Discussion
Tomorrow, the Council will discuss the allocation of Oakland’s additional funds — $10 million from the OACCA/Warriors litigation and large sums from the Federal COVID relief packet. Our community needs us to respond to safety concerns and lack of resources. I am proposing to use these new funds to close the city’s deficit and to take action to provide a just and healthy recovery for the Oakland community.
My proposal would ensure the protection of the City’s reserve funds, by holding them in a separate fund that cannot be accessed without Council approval, and restoring the public process for budget adoption – – to take place at noticed meetings with public input and a public vote.
This item is scheduled for discussion and input at tomorrow’s Oakland City Council meeting, based on this discussion the Council will take action to allocate the funding at the subsequent meeting, March 29, 2021.
This additional funding must be used to respond to community needs with resource that offer support, therefore I am proposing to restore the following:
Fully restore Fire Department Services: I pushed back and fought against the administration’s closure of Fire Stations, we must fully restore all of the fire stations. More in this: (News Article)
Reducing blight and illegal dumping by restoring positions that help stop litter and trash.
Community Safety Ambassadors in Chinatown, Eastlake, East Oakland, West Oakland and business districts.
Restore Ceasefire Operation.
Restore walking foot patrol officers.
Expand Shotspotter to parts of East Oakland currently not covered.
Reopen recreation centers & closed swimming pool;
Help Close the gap in funds for Violence Prevention Funding plan, this plan includes programs for youth job training.
COVID-19 Vaccination Community Engagement: Fund grants to community-based organizations, for work in Oakland underserved communities to provide information and access for COVID testing and vaccination.
Unfreeze Crime Investigation Positions: these positions include the civilian Evidence Technicians and related positions that help solve crime and improve community.
Traffic Safety: Improve responsiveness for needs around traffic calming, such as speed bumps and other infrastructure improvements that can help reduce speeding and accidents and protect the public.
My Budget Proposal Memo: http://oakland.legistar.com/gateway.aspx?M=F&ID=230cbe49-4023-4dd4-9bc7-f8a5bdf6a22b.pdf
Spreadsheet for my proposed budget items: https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:f8500243-8fcd-427e-a5fb-33aa1a889d
MACRO
Council President Bas and Councilmember Kalb’s MACRO legislation would expedite having the Fire Department run the response to mental health crisis calls. I have advocated and allocated funding for the study of MACRO, and have also continued to advocate for the in-housing of MACRO because it would allow for better oversight and implementation, while creating stable union jobs. MACRO has received overwhelming support because it is a trauma informed response to non-violent emergency calls that don’t require and wouldn’t benefit from armed law enforcement.
Watch Vice Mayor Kaplan’s video announcement regarding in-housing MACRO with Zennie- Oakland News Now https://youtube.com/watch?v=ucDMll8N-Bo&feature=share
MACRO Legislation: https://oakland.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=4835421&GUID=E42DF8B5-6DF4-4FC9-A8E4-08A4FA35F62B
Full March 16, 2021 Council Meeting Agenda: https://oakland.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=846521&GUID=A1796EDA-40E6-4F68-A1B3-8CB789D6938C
In solidarity,
Rebecca Kaplan
Oakland Vice Mayor