Economy

Federal Workers Fret, Tighten Belts as Shutdown Hits Week 3: ‘Live Paycheck to Paycheck’

WASHINGTON INFORMER — Dozen of federal employees in the region vented Monday during a roundtable discussion in Largo, Maryland, about the ongoing government shutdown and its effect on them and their colleagues.

Published

7 years ago

January 10, 2019

Oakland Post

By William J. Ford

Dozen of federal employees in the region vented Monday during a roundtable discussion in Largo, Maryland, about the ongoing government shutdown and its effect on them and their colleagues.

As an estimated 800,000 people are furloughed or forced to work without pay during the shutdown — now in its third week — the federal employees at Monday’s event gave their own gripping testimonies.

Tyra McClelland of Charles County said she had to apply for free and reduced school lunch so her 13-year-old daughter could eat.

Tryshanda Moton said her purchase of a new home in Prince George’s County was in the final stages but is now in jeopardy, on top of her having to continue renting her Beltsville apartment while the sale is in limbo.

“People are resilient and we usually recover from these things kind of hardships, but this seems like it’s an imposed hardship [and] unnecessary,” said Moton, 45, an aerospace engineer at Goodard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt who moved the area eight years ago from Huntsville, Alabama. “It’s different from a recession … or a massive layoff, but when it’s imposed for no legitimate reason, it’s really difficult to accept that this is just going to be OK, especially when there’s so much uncertainty and when it’s going to be over.”

Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland) organized the event, held one day before the Senate reconvenes Tuesday on Capitol Hill.

President Donald Trump, who has reached an impasse with congressional Democrats in his fight for increased border security, is pushing spending plans which include nearly $6 billion to build a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border.

A proposed 2,000-mile structure became one of Trump’s top priorities during his presidential campaign. He announced Monday on Twitter he will give a presidential address about the situation this week.

“I am pleased to inform you that I will Address the Nation on the Humanitarian and National Security crisis on our Southern Border,” he said. “Tuesday night at 9:00 P.M. Eastern.”

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Monday that Trump plans to travel to the southern border Thursday “to meet with those on the frontlines of the national security and humanitarian crisis.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) has said no vote will come on the floor until Democrats and Trump come to an agreement.

Van Hollen, who represents thousands of federal workers who reside in Maryland, said the first order of business when the Senate reconvenes should be a vote to reopen the government, which has been partially shuttered since Dec. 22. With Democrats now in control of the House, it passed legislation Thursday to reopen the government, but the bills didn’t include money for Trump’s border wall.

“The Senate just needs to pass the legislation,” Van Hollen said. “The Senate Republicans should not be ducking their responsibilities in this.”

Van Hollen also chided Trump for deciding “to hold a temper tantrum and shut the government down.”

Otis Johnson, a treasurer with the American Federation of Government Employees Local 1831 that represent workers at the National Gallery of Art in northwest D.C., said many union members “live paycheck to paycheck” and about 90 percent of the employees at the gallery are veterans, a group Trump often praises.

“Open the government back up so these vets can get back to work,” he said.

Some federal workers such as McClelland must report to work as essential employees. She’s a probation officer at the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency for the District of Columbia.

Because of the shutdown, McClelland said her daughter wants to help financially by making clothes or shoveling snow.

“I’m proud of her for sticking by me and sticking through this,” she said. “This entrepreneurial spirit that she has now despite this is a blessing, but I do want her to be able to just be 13. I don’t want her to go to school and worry about, ‘Is today going to be another furlough day?’ She shouldn’t have to go to school worrying about that.”

This article originally appeared in the Washington Informer.

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Oakland Mayor Pushes Charter Overhaul to Clarify Roles in City Government, Increase Accountability and Improve Service Delivery

Under the proposal, the mayor would serve as Oakland’s chief executive, overseeing city departments, implementing policy, proposing the annual budget, and managing day-to-day operations. The measure would also give the mayor veto power over legislation and the budget, though the City Council could override a veto with a two-thirds vote.

Published

4 hours ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee. File photo.

By Oakland Post Staff

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee is backing a sweeping proposal to restructure Oakland’s government, arguing the changes would make City Hall more accountable and improve the delivery of basic services like public safety, homelessness response, and infrastructure repairs.

The charter reform measure, introduced April 7 and co-sponsored by Oakland City Council President Kevin Jenkins, would ask voters in November to approve a “strong mayor, strong council” system designed to create clearer lines of authority inside city government.

The City Council, meanwhile, would maintain legislative authority by adopting ordinances, approving budgets, conducting oversight hearings, and confirming key mayoral appointments. The proposal would also create an Independent Budget and Legislative Analyst Office to provide nonpartisan fiscal and policy analysis for councilmembers.

“I’ve spent months listening to Oaklanders across every neighborhood about what they expect from their city government,” Lee said. “The Charter Reform Working Group’s engagement made clear that residents want a system where there are no questions about who is responsible for delivering results on public safety, homelessness, infrastructure, and basic services.”

Jenkins said the proposal would strengthen both executive leadership and council oversight.

“I’ve long believed Oakland works best when residents have clear lines of accountability and a government structure that aligns responsibility with results,” Jenkins said.

The proposal follows recommendations from the Mayor’s Charter Reform Working Group, co-facilitated by the League of Women Voters of Oakland and SPUR.

Over five months, the group conducted more than 60 interviews, held 14 public meetings across Oakland, and engaged more than 750 residents while reviewing governance models used in other cities.

“The process of engaging residents across Oakland surfaced the governance clarity Oakland needs,” said Sujata Srivastava of SPUR. “The Charter Reform Working Group has produced a thoughtful set of recommendations that if adopted could strengthen accountability and improve service delivery across city government.”

Polling cited by the mayor’s office suggests voters may be open to the changes. A February 2026 poll by the East Bay Polling Institute found 64% of voters support adopting a strong-mayor system. Separate polling conducted by the Oakland Chamber of Commerce and David Binder Research found support ranging from 61% to 63% among likely voters.

The measure is scheduled to be heard by the City Council Rules Committee on May 21. If approved by the council, it would appear on the November 2026 ballot, where Oakland voters would have the final say.

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How Is AI Affecting California? The State Wants You to Share Your Story

The program marks the first time the state has opened the platform to all Californians. State officials said the effort is designed to give residents a direct role in discussions about how AI should be regulated and used as the technology rapidly expands across industries.

Published

5 hours ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

iStock

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced May 7 that California is expanding its Engaged California digital democracy initiative statewide, inviting residents to help shape future state policies on artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on jobs and the economy.

“We’ve got to be clear-eyed about this moment: AI is moving fast, bringing enormous opportunity, but also real risks,” Newsom said in a statement. “Californians deserve a seat at the table as we shape what’s to come.”

The initiative will roll out in two phases. Beginning immediately, Californians can sign up online to share how AI is affecting their work and communities and provide ideas for possible government action. Later this summer, a smaller group reflecting the state’s workforce demographics will participate in live discussions focused on developing policy recommendations.

State officials said the goal is to identify areas of agreement among Californians and provide policymakers with public feedback as the state develops future AI regulations and workforce strategies.

Engaged California is modeled after digital democracy programs used in Taiwan and is intended to encourage structured public discussion rather than social media-style debate. Officials described the effort as a form of “deliberative democracy” aimed at helping residents engage directly in state decision-making.

“The more Californians are engaged in the democratic process, the better able we’ll be to confront the challenges we face together,” said Nick Maduros, California Secretary of Government Operations, in a statement.

The statewide launch builds on two earlier pilot programs. One pilot gathered public input following the Los Angeles firestorms to help guide recovery efforts, while another collected ideas from state employees about improving government operations.

California has positioned itself as a national leader in AI policy and development. Since 2023, the Newsom administration has introduced initiatives focused on responsible AI use in government, cybersecurity protections, workforce training and regulations targeting risks such as deepfakes and AI-generated robocalls.

The state has also partnered with companies in Silicon Valley — including NVIDIA, Google, Adobe, IBM and Microsoft — to expand AI education and workforce training programs across California schools and universities.

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Activism

California Launches Free Diaper Program for Newborns Statewide

The initiative, called Golden State Start, will provide 400 free diapers to every newborn delivered at participating California hospitals beginning this summer. The state is partnering with Baby2Baby, a California-based nonprofit that distributes essential items to children in need nationwide.

Published

5 hours ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

iStock.

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday that California will launch a first-in-the-nation program providing free diapers to families with newborns, part of a broader effort to lower costs for parents and improve infant health outcomes.

The initiative, called Golden State Start, will provide 400 free diapers to every newborn delivered at participating California hospitals beginning this summer. The state is partnering with Baby2Baby, a California-based nonprofit that distributes essential items to children in need nationwide.

State officials said hospitals participating in the program will give families the diapers when they are discharged after birth, helping parents leave with an immediate supply of newborn essentials.

“Every baby born in California deserves a healthy start in life,” Newsom said in a statement. He said the program is part of California’s broader affordability efforts, which also include free school meals, universal preschool for four-year-olds and expanded after-school programs.

The announcement comes ahead of Mother’s Day and is tied to the administration’s broader CalRx initiative, which aims to reduce costs for essential products and medications. State officials said California is also exploring ways to lower diaper prices by challenging high costs from major brands.

The first year of the program will prioritize hospitals serving large numbers of Medi-Cal patients, with plans to expand to additional hospitals and birthing centers over time. Officials said the effort is intended to reduce financial pressure on low-income families and improve infant and maternal health by ensuring parents have access to clean diapers.

“California families deserve to feel supported during one of life’s more exciting, yet vulnerable transitions,” First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom said in a statement. She said the program would allow parents to focus on caring for their newborns instead of worrying about basic supplies.

According to Baby2Baby, one in two families in the United States struggles to afford diapers. The organization has distributed more than half a billion items to children over the past 15 years through partnerships with shelters, hospitals, foster care programs and schools.

State officials said Baby2Baby will oversee diaper purchasing, warehousing and distribution through its existing hospital and community partnerships across California.