Bay Area

Poll Shows Strong Support for California’s Controversial Prop 36 Crime Initiative

A recent poll showed that a majority of California voters back Proposition 36, which aims to increase penalties for certain theft and drug-related crimes, according to a survey by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC). The poll came out last week as opponents of the proposition began a last-ditch push against the initiative in major metropolitan areas across California.

Published

1 year ago

November 4, 2024

Oakland Post

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

The poll came out last week as opponents of the proposition began a last-ditch push against the initiative in major metropolitan areas across California.

“As the 2024 campaign heads into its final days, The No on 36 Campaign is targeting voters in Los Angeles and the Bay Area with a series of new billboards urging voters to reject the cynical, misleading measure on the November ballot,” read a press release from a coalition of opponents to the measure.

The PPIC survey showed that 73% of likely voters support the measure, up from 71% in September, with only 25% opposing the ballot measure.

This makes Prop 36 the most popular of the ten statewide issues on the ballot this fall, with 28% of voters indicating it is their top priority.

The emphasis on crime as a key campaign issue is partially driven by the pandemic-related rise in certain offenses. However, prominent Democrats, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, have expressed concerns about reverting to harsher crime policies.

Other ballot measures are also performing well according to the PPIC poll. Proposition 3, which seeks to remove outdated language banning same-sex marriage from the state constitution, has garnered 67% support. Proposition 35, aimed at making a tax on specific healthcare plans permanent to fund Medi-Cal, has over 60% approval.

Among the two $10 billion bond measures, Proposition 4, focused on climate and water projects, has strong backing at 60%, while Proposition 2, for school construction, has a narrower margin of support at 52%.

Several other measures, including Proposition 33 on rent control, are trailing, with only 42% supporting the initiative. Proposition 6, which seeks to ban forced prison labor, is currently the least favored, with just 41 percent in favor.

In the presidential race, more than half of survey participants stated that they plan to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris in comparison to Donald Trump.

The PPIC poll surveyed 1,137 likely voters from October 7 to 15, with a margin of error of less than 4%.

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Oakland Post: Week of February 25 – March 3, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 25 – March 3, 2026

Published

2 days ago

March 1, 2026

Oakland Post

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Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

Published

1 week ago

February 21, 2026

Oakland Post

Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.

The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.

“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”

According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.

“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”

This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.

Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.

Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.

“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”

The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.

“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”

Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”

For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.

“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.