Amendments will increase funds for public safety, fire services, housing, cultural affairs, and park upkeep

By Post Staff

Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas, joined by members of the  Oakland Council’s Budget Team, this week released amendments to the city’s 2023-2025 Proposed Budget.  

At its June 14 meeting this week, the council was scheduled to begin consideration of amendments to the budget proposed by Mayor Sheng Thao on May 1.

“In the face of the worst deficit in Oakland’s history, we are standing together as One Oakland, focused on addressing the challenges we face,” said Council President Bas.

“Thanks to revenue and expenditure adjustments, we are now able to build upon Mayor Thao’s thoughtful and creative budget proposal to provide more support for the vital services residents rely on, including fire services, public safety, violence prevention, housing and economic development,” she said.

The Council Budget Team is comprised of Bas, councilmembers Rebecca Kaplan (At-Large), Carroll Fife (District 3) and Kevin Jenkins (District 6). Their amendments are based on weeks of public hearings and community meetings where members of the community weighed in on the proposed budget.

The Amendments include:

• Strengthening fire safetyby designating FEMA SAFER grant funds to reverse a proposed rolling Fire Station brown-out, allowing the City to maintain fire service in all communities.
• Supporting public safetyby adding funding for 24/7 crisis response, community ambassadors in business corridors, two civilian police investigators, and dedicating resources to allow MACRO to fill vacant positions more quickly.
• Working to reduce violenceby investing $2.1 million in violence prevention programs, including $600,000 focused on sex trafficking.
• Housing homeless residentsby creating a Rapid Response Homeless Housing Acquisition Fund with $8.8 million to create housing more rapidly for unhoused residents.
• Supporting the economyby increasing Cultural Affairs grants by $300,000 each year, adding funding for the activation of Frank Ogawa Plaza, providing business support by continuing the Facade Improvement Program and staffing for multilingual business assistance.
• Promoting clean and healthy neighborhoodsby increasing funding for park maintenance and traffic safety improvements

“Over the last month, we have received a tremendous amount of feedback from Oakland residents and these amendments will allow us to better address community priorities,” said Kaplan. “By bolstering resources for violence prevention, homelessness, and economic and cultural development, we can support thriving and healthy communities.”

“Despite this tough budget year, I am excited and encouraged by Mayor Thao’s leadership and the progress we are seeing under her administration,” said Fife

“We are standing together to close the gap while preserving critical services and investing in our future,” she said.

“Our residents are asking for safer, cleaner and healthier communities, and we are going to deliver,” said Jenkins. “While we still had to make hard choices, we were able to find the resources to do more so we can be stronger tomorrow.”

The Council began consideration of these and other amendments at its June 14 meeting. A subsequent budget meeting is scheduled for June 26 at 4 p.m. The final budget must be approved by June 30.

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