City Government
Proposed Council Rules Change Could Dampen Democracy in City Government
High school students were among those who came out to speak at the Public Safety Committee meeting in Nov. 10 to oppose Oakland Police Department participation in an ICE raid. Large crowds of residents frequently attend meetings of the Public Safety Committee and other council committee meetings.
Three members of the City Council are proposing to change the council’s established Rules and Procedures to allow the council president at his discretion to remove members and chairs of council committees, which some community members see as a threat to free expression and an attempt to suppress oppositional voices —making committee members more accountable to the council president rather than to the public.
The councilmembers—Annie Campbell Washington, Lynette Gibson McElhaney and Council President Larry Reid —voted at last week’s Rules and Legislation Committee to bypass sending the resolution to a committee for public discussion and deliberation and placed the item on the Tuesday, Feb. 6 council agenda.
The proposed change would remove current language of Rule 4 that says the council president appoints committee members and chairs in January for two-year terms. Under the new language the appointments and changes could be made at any time, and a vote of the council to affirm the president’s appointments would no longer be required.
“The modernization provisions … are intended to improve efficiency of Council proceedings. This amendment clarifies the president’s appointment authority and allows for the orderly transition of leadership when such need arises,” according to the resolution.
“This rule change brings Oakland in line with most other large cities and elected bodies, where the president is charged with choosing the chairs and members of committees,” Councilmember Campbell Washington told the Post.
The Oakland Post received a statement from OaklandWORKS saying the rule change would hamper democratic discussion in Oakland city government.
“Council members should be able to lead committees using their best judgement and community input, without the fear of being displaced for taking actions that may be innovative or maybe disliked the person who happens to be council president at the time,” according to the statement.
OaklandWORKS also criticized councilmembers for rushing the rules change to a vote without a full discussion.
“The procedures followed for considering this action have not allowed for adequate community input,” the statement said. “Sending the item straight from Rules to the full council does not allow for adequate notice or deliberation.”
“Whether or not some other cities have less democratic policies is not relevant,” the statement continued. “We are seeking greater democracy, transparency, community input, and policy innovation than other cities as evidenced by our choice of rank-choice voting, what is probably (potentially) the strongest Police Commission in the country, a Race and Equity department, and other innovations.”
Rashidah Grinage of the Coalition for Police Accountability said, “The timing of the rules change is suspicious, and there appears to be a lack of transparenciy about the agenda behind the move.”
It is not clear at present whether the change, if it passes council on Tuesday, would be enacted immediately, retroactively impacting currently sitting committee members and chairs.
Some community members see this change as an attempt to remove Desley Brooks as chair of the Public Safety Committee.
For supporters of police accountability and immigrant rights, Brooks has earned a strong reputation on the committee for her outspoken support of police accountability and willingness to listen to community voices.
At a Public Safety Committee in November, Brooks and Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan, along with a crowd of angry local residents, challenged Mayor Libby Schaaf and Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick for violating the council’s Sanctuary City resolution forbidding the Oakland Police Department from cooperating with ICE immigration raids.
Some say the change is retaliation for the strong stands Brooks has taken in support of the community and that she may be seen as vulnerable in the wake of the negative publicity surrounding the lawsuit against her and the city.
“I suspect they’re trying to pull a fast one on Desley because of public reaction to the court judgment, but that’s bull,” said community activist Pamela Drake, who was working for police accountability.
“Councilmember Brooks is an excellent chair for the Public Safety Committee, asks all the right questions and listens to community concerns,” said Drake. “If they (other council members) have other motivations, they should address them directly. This is not a good precedent to set.”
Police Chief Kirkpatrick and Councilmembers Campbell Washington and Abel Guillén told the Post that there was no communication between the chief and council members about removing Brooks from Public Safety. President Reid and Councilmember McElhaney did not respond to the Post’s questions.
Post Publisher Paul Cobb said he has heard that the chief had been making calls and that the mayor had advocated for the removal of Brooks from Public Safety.
“This a pattern,” said Cobb. “The mayor is trying to remove councilmembers who criticize her and that she perceives as a possible a threat to her administration.”
The vote on the rules change is scheduled for next Tuesday’s council meeting.
Next Week: Interview with Post Publisher Paul Cobb about Mayor’s Schaaf’s retaliation against the Oakland Post for publishing articles critical of the mayor.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of May 22 – 28, 2024
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May May 22 – 28, 2024
To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.
Alameda County
District Attorney Pamela Price Will Face Recall Election on November General Election Ballot
The Alameda County Board of Supervisors scheduled the recall election against Alameda District Attorney Pamela Price for November 5, coinciding with the 2024 General Election. The decision comes after weeks of controversy and drawn-out discussions amongst county officials, recall proponents, and opponents, and legal advisors.
By Magaly Muñoz
The Alameda County Board of Supervisors scheduled the recall election against Alameda District Attorney Pamela Price for November 5, coinciding with the 2024 General Election.
The decision comes after weeks of controversy and drawn-out discussions amongst county officials, recall proponents, and opponents, and legal advisors.
Recall proponents submitted 123,374 signatures before the March 5 deadline, which resulted in 74,757 valid signatures counted by the Registrar of Voters (ROV).
The recall election will cost Alameda County $4 million and will require them to hire hundreds of new election workers to manage the demand of keeping up with the federal, state and local elections and measures.
Save Alameda For Everyone (SAFE), one of the two recall campaigns against Price, held a press conference minutes before the Board’s special meeting asking for the Supervisors to schedule the election in August instead of consolidating with the November election.
Supporters of the recall have said they were not concerned with the $20 million price tag the special election would’ve cost the county if they had put it on the ballot in the summer. Many have stated that the lives of their loved ones are worth more than that number.
“What is the cost of a life?” recall supporters have asked time and time again.
Opponents of the recall election have been vehemently against a special date to vote, stating it would cost taxpayers too much money that could be reinvested into social programs to help struggling residents.
A special election could’ve cost the county’s budget to exceed its current deficit of $68 million, which was a driving factor in the three supervisors who voted for a consolidated election.
“Bottom line is, I can’t in good conscience support a special election that is going to cost the county $20 million,” Board President Nate Miley said.
Many speakers asked Miley and Keith Carson to recuse themselves from the vote, claiming that they have had improper involvement with either the recall proponents or Price herself.
Both supervisors addressed the concerns stating that regardless of who they associate themselves with or what their political beliefs are, they have to do their jobs, no matter the outcome.
Carson noted that although he’s neither supporting nor opposing Price as district attorney, he believes that whoever is elected next to take that position should have a reasonable amount of time to adjust to the job before recalls are considered.
Reports of recall attempts started as soon as April 2023 when Price had only been in office three months.
Price and her campaign team Protect the Win have been adamant that the voters who elected her to office will not fall for the “undemocratic” practices from the recall campaign and they are prepared to put all efforts forward to guarantee she stays in office.
Activism
Lend A Hand Foundation Celebrates 25th Anniversary
Lend A Hand Foundation Celebrates 25th Anniversary at the Scottish Rite Center in Oakland. On stage: KTVU Fox 2 Broadcasters Roberta Gonzales and Dave ClarkDance-A-Vision Founder, Carla Service, Vice Mayor Kimberly Mayfield-Lynch, California State Assemblymember Mia Bonta and Lend A Hand Foundation Executive Director Dee Johnson with the Dance-A-Vision Dancers. Photo By Carla Thomas
By Carla Thomas
The Lend A Hand Foundation (LAHF) celebrated the 25th anniversary of the organization’s Stay In School Program on May 9 at the Scottish Rite Center in Oakland.
Themed “Together We Can Empower Our Youth to Stay in School,” the event featured a pre-event reception featuring Oakland’s Kev Choice Ensemble.
The ensemble featured Oakland School for the Arts student, Ayo Brame, a 16-year-old, up-and-coming tenor saxophone jazz musician. The master and mistress of ceremonies were local broadcasters Dave Clark and Roberta Gonzales of KTVU Fox 2. Clark’s wife, Lucretia also supported the program.
A special appearance featured Dwayne Wiggins of Tony! Toni! Toné! on guitar, performing the group’s hit song “Anniversary” as guests dined on salmon, chicken, beef and vegetarian entrees prepared by the Food Network “Chopped” Champion, Chef Rashad Armstead of Oakland. California State Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D-Oakland) provided the keynote address and the Carla Service Dance-A-Vision youth dancers energetically performed a hip hop routine throughout the audience in white leotards as attendees clapped along. An auction led by Auctioneer Franco Finn assisted in raising funds for the organization with prizes that included a luxury resort vacation and other items.
LAHF presented District 5 Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson and District 4 Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley with Lifetime Supporter Awards. LAHF presented the Trailblazer Award to Guy Richardson of Ernst and Young; Dante Green of Kaiser Permanente; Antioch Attorney Gordon Greenwood of the Kazan McClain Partner’s Foundation; and Sarah Yoell of PG&E.
Oakland Unified School District Superintendent, Dr. Kyla Trammel Johnson acknowledged LAHF’s impact.
“Each year, LAHF gives backpacks and school supplies to thousands of students across Oakland,” said Johnson. “In 2022 the effort topped 25,000 students. No matter the need, big or small, involving lots of students or just one, Lend A Hand is always there ready to make a difference in the lives of our young people.”
Founder and executive director of LAHF Dee Johnson took the stage as the DJ played the Sledge Sisters’ “We Are Family.”
Guests gave Johnson a standing ovation as she thanked supporters and presented many of them with gifts.
“It’s heartbreaking to know some children don’t have clothes or supplies for school,” said Johnson. “The babies really need our support and when we deliver supplies to them, it makes them really happy.”
Since the LAHF Annual Stay in School Program began in 1999, it has provided over 150,000 educational school supply kits to students throughout Alameda County, including Oakland, Berkeley, Emeryville, and San Leandro, among other cities.
“This past August, we provided for over 12,000 students with supplies, with the help and support of our very generous donors,” said Johnson. “This year, we aim to do all we can to match that amount or provide even more.”
For more information visit: www.LendaHandFoundation.org
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