Oakland

Nancy Sidebotham Runs for Oakland City Council At-Large

Published

6 years ago

September 18, 2020

Kiki

Nancy Sidebotham

Nancy Sidebotham believes Oaklanders deserve better and wants voters to take back City Hall.

The owner of a tax business since 1973, Sidebotham is no stranger to running for office in Oakland. She ran for District 6 six times, mayor once, and this will be the second run for the at-large City Council seat. She has yet to win.

She has been a member of the Community Policing Advisory, Neighborhood Watch, and Shop Oakland boards. She was involved in shutting down the Animal Shelter and getting one built.

Sidebotham’s top priority for Oakland is to have an outside audit performed and to find money for services just like the city of El Sobrante did.

Her second priority is to bridge work with the other Oakland City Council districts. She believes in representing the community and in asking the community what they want.

Born in Panama in 1945, Sidebotham is the daughter of a banker. She moved to Oakland in 1964 and lives alone in Millsmont since her long-time partner, Vickie, passed in 2003.

Sidebotham’s views are straightforward and indicative of the work she wants to do in office.

She blames former Mayor Jerry Brown for gentrification in Oakland, but sees homelessness as a national problem and worsening in 2021 with the end of the COVID-19 protections.

She advocates using the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton as a resource for the homeless. The infrastructure is present for the unhoused community.

The Alameda County Social Services Dept. is ignoring Oakland and not providing needed services, she says and expressed concerned about the developers taking money out of Oakland and gang warfare.

On her website Nancy talks about “voters [taking] back City Hall. . . . Are you tired of the rhetoric, the continuous high taxes, the lack of jobs and business opportunities, the high crime rate? Are you tired of being ignored by your elected officials?”

“The election is not about money, it’s about your vote and Oakland’s future! Most voters are trying to make ends meet while City Hall continues to tax you for services unseen. I understand how the City operates and what needs to be done to make Oakland once again a viable city.”

She adds that the last time Oakland was a viable city was when Henry Gardner was City Manager from 1981– 1993.

For more information go to NancySidebotham.com.

Kiki

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Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

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1 week ago

March 22, 2026

Oakland Post

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Financial Wellness and Mental Health: Managing Money Stress in College 

While everyone’s financial situation is unique, several common sources of stress have the potential to strain your financial health. These include financial and economic uncertainty, existing debts, unexpected expenses, and mental or physical health changes. Financial stress may differ from situation to situation, but understanding the factors contributing to yours may help you begin to craft a plan for your unique circumstances.

Published

2 weeks ago

March 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Sponsored by JPMorganChase

As a college student, managing financial responsibilities can be stressful.

If you’ve found yourself staying up late thinking about your finances or just feeling anxious overall about your financial future, you’re not alone. In one survey, 78% of college students who reported financial stress had negative impacts on their mental health, and 59% considered dropping out. While finances can impact overall stress, taking steps to manage your finances can support your mental, emotional and physical well-being.

When it comes to money, the sources of stress may look different for each student, but identifying the underlying causes and setting goals accordingly may help you feel more confident about your financial future.

Consider these strategies to help improve your financial wellness and reduce stress.

Understand what causes financial stress

2. Determine your financial priorities

Start by reflecting on your financial priorities. For students this often includes paying for school or paying off student loans, studying abroad, saving for spring break, building an emergency fund, paying down credit card debt or buying a car. Name the milestones that are most important to you, and plan accordingly.

3. Create a plan and stick to it

While setting actionable goals starts you on the journey to better financial health, it’s essential to craft a plan to follow through. Identifying and committing to a savings plan may give you a greater sense of control over your finances, which may help reduce your stress. Creating and sticking to a budget allows you to better track where your money is going so you may spend less and save more.

4. Pay down debt

Many students have some form of debt and want to make progress toward reducing their debt obligations. One option is the debt avalanche method, which focuses on paying off your debt with the highest interest rate first, then moving on to the debt with the next-highest interest rate. Another is the debt snowball method, which builds momentum by paying off your smallest debt balance, and then working your way up to the largest amounts.

5. Build your financial resilience

Some financial stress may be inevitable, but building financial resilience may allow you to overcome obstacles more easily. The more you learn about managing your money, for instance, the more prepared you’ll feel if the unexpected happens. Growing your emergency savings also may increase resilience since you’ll be more financially prepared to cover unexpected expenses or pay your living expenses.

6. Seek help and support

Many colleges have resources to help students experiencing financial stress, like financial literacy courses or funds that provide some assistance for students in need. Talk to your admissions counselor or advisor about your concerns, and they can direct you to sources of support. Your school’s counseling center can also be a great resource for mental health assistance if you’re struggling with financial stress.

The bottom line

Financial stress can affect college students’ health and wellbeing, but it doesn’t have to derail your dreams. Setting smart financial goals and developing simple plans to achieve them may help ease your stress. Revisit and adjust your plan as needed to ensure it continues to work for you, and seek additional support on campus as needed to help keep you on track.

 JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC