City Government

Oakland Approves Petition to Recall Mayor Schaaf

Published

8 years ago

September 23, 2016

Now that the City of Oakland has approved a petition to recall Mayor Libby Schaaf, activists are hitting the streets to talk with residents and to collect signatures for their campaign.

“If we care about people’s rights to stay in their homes, to not be gunned down in the streets at the hands of law enforcement, and if we care about Oakland, then we’ve got to get Libby out,” said Cat Brooks, co-founder and organizer with the Anti Police-Terror Project (APTP).

On Sunday, members of APTP held a brief training and information session for their supporters, who say much of the city’s culture and safety are “in danger at the hands of Libby Schaaf.”

The group spearheading the campaign lists a number of injustices in the mayor’s record including police corruption and brutality, loss of youth jobs and attempted closures of neighborhood job centers, and heightened intercommunal violence.

Referring to a recent sex crime scandal involving Oakland and other Bay Area police departments, Brooks said, “We have been engaging (Schaaf) around a bunch of issues, and the straw that broke the camel’s back wasn’t just the rape scandal with Jasmine. But we found her response to (the scandal) to be egregious.”

The group also criticizes Schaaf’s handling of Oakland’s housing crisis, saying that under her leadership there has been “increased displacement in the name of development.”

“To say her response to the housing crisis is ‘inadequate’ would be an understatement,” said Brooks. “Someone who cares about Black and Brown people would have made that a priority.”

In order to get the recall election – which, if the campaign is successful, would likely take place next February – the group must collect 33,000 signatures by January of 2017.

Schaaf, meanwhile, has told voters that a recall election would not be easy on taxpayers’ wallets.

“While we do not believe the vast majority of Oaklanders want to spend more than $3 million on an election designed to defund the police, Mayor Schaaf frmly respects the democratic process and the right of citizens to criticize their elected leaders,” Erica Derryck, spokesperson for Schaaf, replied to the Post.

Brooks and others advocating for the mayor’s removal, however, said that cost should not deter voters who are unhappy with the mayor from signing the petition.

“Oakland is paying millions in settlement cases, not to mention all of the victims of violent crimes. $3 million for a one-time shot to get some competent leadership is a worthwhile investment in our town,” said Brooks.

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Activism

Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

Published

6 days ago

April 26, 2024

Oakland Post

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Alameda County

DA Pamela Price Stands by Mom Who Lost Son to Gun Violence in Oakland

Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018.

Published

1 week ago

April 22, 2024

Oakland Post

District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones

Publisher’s note: Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018. The photo was too small for readers to see where the women were and what they were doing. Here we show Price and Jones as they complete a walk in memory of Scott. For more information and to contribute, please contact Carol Jones at 510-978-5517 at morefoundation.help@gmail.com. Courtesy photo.

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City Government

Vallejo Welcomes Interim City Manager Beverli Marshall

At Tuesday night’s Council meeting, the Vallejo City Council appointed Beverli Marshall as the interim city manager. Her tenure in the City Manager’s Office began today, Wednesday, April 10. Mayor Robert McConnell praised Marshall’s extensive background, noting her “wide breadth of experience in many areas that will assist the City and its citizens in understanding the complexity of the many issues that must be solved” in Vallejo.

Published

1 week ago

April 22, 2024

Oakland Post

Beverli Marshall began her first day with the City on April 10. ICMA image.

Special to The Post

At Tuesday night’s Council meeting, the Vallejo City Council appointed Beverli Marshall as the interim city manager. Her tenure in the City Manager’s Office began today, Wednesday, April 10.

Mayor Robert McConnell praised Marshall’s extensive background, noting her “wide breadth of experience in many areas that will assist the City and its citizens in understanding the complexity of the many issues that must be solved” in Vallejo.

Current City Manager Michael Malone, whose official departure is slated for April 18, expressed his well wishes. “I wish the City of Vallejo and Interim City Manager Marshall all the best in moving forward on the progress we’ve made to improve service to residents.” Malone expressed his hope that the staff and Council will work closely with ICM Marshall to “ensure success and prosperity for the City.”

According to the Vallejo Sun, Malone stepped into the role of interim city manager in 2021 and became permanent in 2022. Previously, Malone served as the city’s water director and decided to retire from city service e at the end of his contract which is April 18.

“I hope the excellent work of City staff will continue for years to come in Vallejo,” he said. “However, recent developments have led me to this decision to announce my retirement.”

When Malone was appointed, Vallejo was awash in scandals involving the housing division and the police department. A third of the city’s jobs went unfilled during most of his tenure, making for a rocky road for getting things done, the Vallejo Sun reported.

At last night’s council meeting, McConnell explained the selection process, highlighting the council’s confidence in achieving positive outcomes through a collaborative effort, and said this afternoon, “The Council is confident that by working closely together, positive results will be obtained.”

While the search for a permanent city manager is ongoing, an announcement is expected in the coming months.

On behalf of the City Council, Mayor McConnell extended gratitude to the staff, citizen groups, and recruitment firm.

“The Council wishes to thank the staff, the citizens’ group, and the recruitment firm for their diligent work and careful consideration for the selection of what is possibly the most important decision a Council can make on behalf of the betterment of our City,” McConnell said.

The Vallejo Sun contributed to this report.