Councilmembers Approve More Money in Budget for East Oakland

Oakland city councilmembers on revised the adopted city budget to deliver more resources to East Oakland, Councilmember Treva Reid’s office said on July 26.

Reid and Councilmember Loren Taylor were the only two councilmembers to vote no on the budget when it was adopted June 24. Both serve East Oakland residents. The budget had to be passed by June 30. 

Reid’s office said East Oakland residents were seeking more resources to stem gun violence, reduce unemployment, improve traffic safety and other issues that affect them more than others in the city.

So, by a unanimous decision on July 26, the City Council amended the budget to provide millions more to benefit East Oakland residents. Over $3 million alone will go toward traffic safety, Reid said. 

“That was huge for us,” Reid said in an interview July 28. 

Part of the $3 million will go toward traffic-calming initiatives such as roundabouts, medians, and Botts’ dots, and raised pavement markers that help prevent sideshows. 

In May, police encountered about 100 vehicles and 300 people at a sideshow at 98th and Edes avenues. Officers arrested eight people and towed 22 cars, Reid said. Fourteen citations were written by police. 

The amendments will provide for $150,000 to pay for quickening the response to 911 calls. “We have calls stacking,” Reid said. 

One night more than 400 calls stacked up and about 300 of those were from Reid’s district in East Oakland. 

In her district, every age group has said they want more police response, despite demands by many in the city to reduce the Police Department budget and fund alternatives. 

Reid said older people are more likely to express the need for police.

Reid would like security cameras placed in her district along corridors such as International Boulevard, Bancroft Avenue and Hegenberger Road.

Christy Price

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