City Government

City Urges No Action in Tagami’s Failure to Make Payments on $12 Million Loan

Published

12 years ago

February 20, 2014

Mayor Jean Quan’s staff has recommended that no action be taken against Phil Tagami’s company, Rotunda Partners II, which is currently four months behind on its a 20-year $12 million loan with the City of Oakland to develop a parking garage, retail space, and temporary parking lot at the Rotunda building next to City Hall, according to city officials.

According to reports, Tagami’s company owes $80,000 in loan payments dating back to November, as of last week’s Community and Economic Development (CED) Committee meeting.

“Staff recommends that the (city) not exercise its rights” at this time to declare the project “in default for non-performance,” according to the Feb. 4 informational report prepared by city staff, which is ultimately responsible to the mayor,

The company should only be declared in default “if there is reasonable likelihood that such action will facilitate the development and is in the best interest of the city,” the report added.

At the CED meeting last week, Councilmember Lynette McElhaney said, “I would want to see staff put really strong timelines that are transparent and can be monitored with respect to getting people on track and to respond timely.”

Asserting that the city staff report and McElhaney’s statements are “inaccurate,” a managing partner of Rotunda Partners says the company is current on the loan and has made all its monthly payments on time.

At the same time that Tagami’s company allegedly has failed to make payments on its loan, he is being paid for multiple roles with the city as property manager, master developer, project manager, rail operator and finance broker on the Oakland Army Base development project.

Asked to speak to the Oakland Post about the Tagami’s failure to pay, Mayor Quan has remained silent. The Post has also asked the other mayoral candidates what their position is on the issue.

Not addressing the failure to pay, mayoral candidate Bryan Parker said, “As long as they’re performing, being transparent, and being inclusive, I’m for continuing with those partners.”

“We can ensure transparency by using objective metrics to measure results and making sure the contracts include strong audit provisions,” he said.

In fact, I have already started organizing meetings to ensure these goals are met, Parker said, adding, “My understanding is that the [Rotunda] loan payments are current according to confirmation from a city official.”

Mayoral candidate Dan Siegel said he is “concerned about conflicts of interest” with Tagami holding multiple roles in his partnership with the city.

“City employees and paid consultants should not also receive city grants and contracts,” said Siegel. “I think the city should demand that Tagami become current on his contractual obligations immediately. If he cannot do so, appropriate legal action should be taken.”

“The city should insist that he appear at a public meeting to answer concerns about his agreements with the city,” Siegel said.

While not answering the Post’s questions this week, candidate Libby Schaaf has said she expects transparency in the city’s financial agreements with Tagami.

“I always believe the public is entitled to detailed information about how the city is spending public money,” she said.

Candidate Joe Tuman did not respond to the Post’s questions.

In a letter sent to The Post Thursday, on deadline, Mark Moss, a managing member at Rotunda Partners, said, “Rotunda Partners has made each payment on time.”

“The article repeated a councilmember’s allegation that the company is currently technically in default. Wrong – Rotunda Partners has made each payment on time and of course, is NOT in default,” Moss said, who did not explain why the company did not send a representative to speak at last week’s CED meeting where the default was discussed as part of the public agenda.

Disputing the public statements by another city councilmember who called for transparency in the city’s agreement s with Rotunda Partners, Moss said, “All Rotunda documents are public and available.”

“The city’s loan/equity partnership with Rotunda Partners is actually one of the best real estate deals the city has ever made,” he said in letter.

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Oakland Post: Week of December 24 – 30, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – December 24 – 30, 2025

Published

2 days ago

December 25, 2025

Oakland Post

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Oakland Council Expands Citywide Security Cameras Despite Major Opposition

In a 7-1 vote in favor of the contract, with only District 3 Councilmember Carroll Fife voting no, the Council agreed to maintain its existing network of 291 cameras and add 40 new “pan-tilt-zoom cameras.”

Published

6 days ago

December 21, 2025

Oakland Post

At the International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference, Flock Safety introduces new public safety technology – Amplified Intelligence, a suite of AI-powered tools designed to improve law enforcement investigations. Courtesy photo.

By Post Staff

The Oakland City Council this week approved a $2.25 million contract with Flock Safety for a mass surveillance network of hundreds of security cameras to track vehicles in the city.

In recent weeks hundreds of local residents have spoken against the camera system, raising concerns that data will be shared with immigration authorities and other federal agencies at a time when mass surveillance is growing across the country with little regard for individual rights.

The Flock network, supported by the Oakland Police Department, has the backing of residents and councilmembers who see it as an important tool to protect public safety.

“This system makes the Department more efficient as it allows for information related to disruptive/violent criminal activities to be captured … and allows for precise and focused enforcement,” OPD wrote in its proposal to City Council.

According to OPD, police made 232 arrests using data from Flock cameras between July 2024 and November of this year.

Based on the data, police say they recovered 68 guns, and utilizing the countywide system, they have found 1,100 stolen vehicles.

However, Flock’s cameras cast a wide net. The company’s cameras in Oakland last month captured license plate numbers and other information from about 1.4 million vehicles.

Speaking at Tuesday’s Council meeting, Fife was critical of her colleagues for signing a contract with a company that has been in the national spotlight for sharing data with federal agencies.

Flock’s cameras – which are automated license plate readers – have been used in tracking people who have had abortions, monitoring protesters, and aiding in deportation roundups.

“I don’t know how we get up and have several press conferences talking about how we are supportive of a sanctuary city status but then use a vendor that has been shown to have a direct relationship with (the U.S.) Border Control,” she said. “It doesn’t make sense to me.”

Several councilmembers who voted in favor of the contract said they supported the deal as long as some safeguards were written into the Council’s resolution.

“We’re not aiming for perfection,” said District 1 Councilmember Zac Unger. “This is not Orwellian facial recognition technology — that’s prohibited in Oakland. The road forward here is to add as many amendments as we can.”

Amendments passed by the Council prohibit OPD from sharing camera data with any other agencies for the purpose of “criminalizing reproductive or gender affirming healthcare” or for federal immigration enforcement. California state law also prohibits the sharing of license plate reader data with the federal government, and because Oakland’s sanctuary city status, OPD is not allowed to cooperate with immigration authorities.

A former member of Oakland’s Privacy Advisory Commission has sued OPD, alleging that it has violated its own rules around data sharing.

So far, OPD has shared Flock data with 50 other law enforcement agencies.

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Black Arts Movement Business District Named New Cultural District in California

Located in the heart of District 3, the BAMBD is widely regarded as one of the nation’s most important centers of Black cultural production — a space where artists, entrepreneurs, organizers, and cultural workers have shaped generations of local and national identity. The state’s recognition affirms the district’s historic importance and its future promise.

Published

1 week ago

December 20, 2025

Oakland Post

Councilmember Carroll Fife celebrates major milestone for Black arts, culture, and economic power in Oakland. Courtesy photo.

By Post Staff

Oakland’s Black Arts Movement Business District (BAMBD) has been selected as one of California’s 10 new state-designated Cultural Districts, a distinction awarded by the California Arts Council (CAC), according to a media statement released by Councilmember Carroll Fife.

The BAMBD now joins 23 other districts across the state recognized for their deep cultural legacy, artistic excellence, and contributions to California’s creative economy.

“This designation is a testament to what Black Oakland has built — and what we continue to build when we insist on investing in our own cultural and economic power,” said Fife.

“For years, our community has fought for meaningful recognition and resources for the Black Arts Movement Business District,” she said. “This announcement validates that work and ensures that BAMBD receives the support it needs to grow, thrive, and continue shaping the cultural fabric of California.”

Since taking office, Fife has led and supported multiple initiatives that strengthened the groundwork for this achievement, including:

Restoring and protecting arts and cultural staffing within the City of Oakland.
Creating the West Oakland Community Fund to reinvest in historically excluded communities
Advancing a Black New Deal study to expand economic opportunity for Black Oakland
Ensuring racial equity impact analyses for development proposals, improving access for Black businesses and Black contractors
Introduced legislation and budget amendments that formalized, protected, and expanded the BAMBD

“These efforts weren’t abstract,” Fife said. “They were intentional, coordinated, and rooted in a belief that Black arts and Black businesses deserve deep, sustained public investment.”

As part of the Cultural District designation, BAMBD will receive:

$10,000 over two years
Dedicated technical assistance
Statewide marketing and branding support
Official designation from Jan. 1, 2026, through Dec. 31, 2030

This support will elevate the visibility of BAMBD’s artists, cultural organizations, small businesses, and legacy institutions, while helping attract new investment to the district.

“The BAMBD has always been more than a district,” Fife continued. “This recognition by the State of California gives us another tool in the fight to preserve Black culture, build Black economic power, and protect the families and institutions that make Oakland strong.”

For questions, contact Councilmember Carroll Fife at CFife@oaklandca.gov.