Oakland

Opinion: It Is Fiscally Irresponsible to Delay a Public Bank in Oakland

Published

9 years ago

June 26, 2017

The Oakland City Council this week once again postponed approval of the Public Bank of Oakland Feasibility Study, despite the testimony of many supporters and a demonstration outside City Hall of dozens of paper bills hanging from the iconic Coastal Live Oak tree, symbolizing the fact that the Public Bank will “make money grow on this tree.”

The original resolution was passed last November, seven months ago. It’s now on the agenda for the July 18 meeting, postponed for another month.

It is fiscally irresponsible to keep postponing what will be a huge benefit to the city.

The good news is they had to bring in the big guns to oppose the bank, bringing in City Administrator Sabrina Landreth to present the staff report opposing moving ahead with the feasibility study. Landreth is the highest-ranking staff person in the City.

That’s a compliment to the determination and unity of the bank’s supporters.

The excuse this time was that they want those who will benefit from the bank to pony up some of the cost of the study. That sounds reasonable until you realize that they want money from cities a quarter the size of Oakland and from the cannabis industry.

Harborside Health Center alone has, over the last 10 years, paid the over $5 million in taxes. The cost of the study, $100,000, is only 1/50 of those tax monies.

At this point, it feels as though we’re trapped in some horrible fairy tale where the evil king promises the young hero his daughter’s hand in marriage, if he just kills the fire-breathing dragon.

And when the hero obediently brings the dragon’s head to the king, he laughs and says, “And now you have to clear all my fields of rats, and then you can marry my daughter.”

Oakland can afford to spend $100,000 for this study. In fact, the city can’t afford not to spend it.

Based on the experience of the highly successful public bank of North Dakota, we are losing as much as $186,000 every day that we don’t have a bank.

That means Oakland will lose $5 million between now and the next hearing because of the City Council’s failure of nerve. This is fiscal irresponsibility.

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Oakland Post: Week of July 22 – 28, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of July 22 – 28, 2026

Published

18 hours ago

July 27, 2026

Oakland Post

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Agricultural Engineer Effie Gant Plans Bay Area Farmers Market Initiative

Published

1 week ago

July 18, 2026

bpusa-syndication

Agricultural Engineer Effie Gant displays watermelons from her Sacramento farm at the Temescal Festival in Oakland. Photo by Carla Thomas.

In her 80s and still actively working as an agricultural engineer, Effie Gant continues to break barriers in urban farming and community leadership.

The certified USDA grower and respected urban farmer, based in South Sacramento, was recently spotted vending at the Freedom Farmers’ Market by the Temescal Street Fair on Saturday, July 11, where she proudly displayed dozens of sweet, juicy watermelons.

Festivalgoers gathered not only to purchase her produce but also to enjoy activities like the popular watermelon-eating contest. Yet beyond the festive atmosphere, Gant has a larger vision.

Gant is now setting her sights on the Bay Area, where she plans to launch a farmers’ market to increase access to fresh, locally grown food.

Known for her leadership in sustainable agriculture and food justice, she brings decades of hands-on experience and community advocacy to regions where food access remains inconsistent.

She has built a strong reputation through her work with Meadowview Urban Farm and the Yisrael Family Urban Farm, cultivating crops such as watermelons, honeydew melons, and collard greens. Her approach emphasizes sustainability, education, and empowering residents to grow their own food, even in small urban spaces.

As a USDA-certified grower, Gant blends technical expertise with grassroots engagement to combat food insecurity.

Beyond farming, Gant serves as CEO and President of Highways to Hedges, a nonprofit focused on environmental justice and community development. She is also president of the Hampton Station Neighborhood Association and board chairman for HHCORE, where she advocates for safety, equity, and economic opportunity.

Her proposed farmers market will connect small-scale farmers with urban communities while elevating Black farmers and other underrepresented growers.

“I want to teach the next generation about farming and how lucrative it can be,” Gant said. “You don’t need hundreds of acres. You can start with one acre or even your backyard.”Gant also noted her involvement in a collective of farmers who supply produce through government-supported programs.

“We operate as a team, and we all benefit,” she said.

Through workshops, speaking engagements, and hands-on training, Gant and her organization continue to educate communities about agriculture and food justice. Her market initiative will emphasize affordability, cultural relevance, and nutrition education.

Her broader work includes creating edible forests in partnership with Soil Born Farms, planting fruit trees directly in neighborhoods to expand food access. As a mentor with the Center of Expertise on Food Justice and Health Equity, Gant remains a leading voice in building sustainable and resilient food systems.

Gant says she welcomes the community to join her in creating a new farmer’s market.

“Farming is essential to life,” she said. “I want to train as many people as I can to use food and farming as a tool for empowerment, health, and long-term change.”