Lots to do in Oakland on Thursday
September 30, 2009 by V Smoothe · 34 Comments
I apologize for not yet being able to get to the parking issue or last week’s lobbying ordinance meeting. After enjoying all sorts of free time during recess, I’m having a little trouble getting back into the swing of things around here and have accumulated somewhat of a backlog of half-written posts. I’ll catch up soon, I’m sure.
For today, I want to take care of a little housekeeping around here, and then highlight a number of cool things going on in Oakland tomorrow night.
MTC, not AC Transit, is responsible if BRT is canceled.
September 28, 2009 by V Smoothe · 15 Comments
Friday night’s AC Transit Special Board meeting depressed the hell out of me. I expected it to be depressing going in. After all, the Board was being asked to choose between cutting lifeline service and, for all practical purposes, cancelling BRT (PDF). But then it was even worse than I expected.
AC Transit BRT project in jeopardy
September 24, 2009 by V Smoothe · 26 Comments
This Friday evening, the AC Transit Board of Directors will hold a special meeting to consider taking some steps that could seriously threaten the East Bay BRT project. OMG Yikes, I know!
Potential changes on the way for Oakland’s lobbyist registration act
September 23, 2009 by V Smoothe · 75 Comments
I know you guys are all just dying to read all about last night’s disaster of a discussion about the parking meter hours, but unfortunately, you’re going to have to wait until tomorrow for that. By now, everyone’s aware of what happened (they delayed a decision until next meeting), and honestly, the whole thing deserves a more thoughtful post than I could possibly hope to pull together during my lunch hour.
What is free parking worth to you?
September 22, 2009 by V Smoothe · 40 Comments
You are all, of course, aware by now that in a few hours, the Oakland City Council will consider a proposal from District 2 Councilmember Pat Kernighan to rescind the Council’s June decision to extend Oakland’s parking meter hours until 8 PM (PDF):
Oakland Crime Stats Update, September edition
September 18, 2009 by V Smoothe · 38 Comments
I didn’t do one of these last month, since Vivek B. stepped in with his excellent (and far more detailed) crime numbers analysis.
Anyway, here you go. As of September 16th:
AC Transit service reduction workshop tonight
September 16, 2009 by V Smoothe · Leave a Comment
I know it’s been a little transit-heavy around here lately, and you guys are probably getting fatigued of hearing about the Oakland Airport Connector and the AC Transit service cuts. But you’re going to have to bear with me for just a little bit longer.
Today is the second (and final) AC Transit service reduction workshop in Oakland. I know I’m starting to sound like a broken record, but if you are a bus rider and you haven’t gone to one yet, I strongly urge you to attend. Going in person and talking to the planners about your route changes is going to have much, much more potential to result in some kind of mitigation when the final cuts get made than leaving a comment on the website, although you can do that too.
Manicure EMERGENCY in Oakland!
September 15, 2009 by V Smoothe · 64 Comments
Oakland’s City Council looooves small business, and loves to talk and talk and talk, ad nauseum, about just how much they love small business. What usually goes unsaid in these endless, self-congratulatory sermons, is that they don’t actually love all small business.
Rebecca Kaplan: Building a better Airport Connector, to build a Better economy
September 14, 2009 by Rebecca Kaplan · 78 Comments
In the debate about how best to proceed on the Oakland Airport Connector, I wanted to take this opportunity to share why I think it is so important to make sound choices. My goal is to result in a project that is better for economic growth and job creation, better for Oakland, better for BART, the Airport, the region’s transit, and the public.
The proposed $550 million project currently on the table, using “AGT” technology (an automated, elevated guideway) fails to provide any of the benefits originally promised, and also threatens devastating cuts in jobs, local transit service, and other vital public projects because it will be funded by taking hundreds of millions of dollars away from other essential services.
Learn about what the State budget means for you at City Hall this Tuesday
September 13, 2009 by V Smoothe · Leave a Comment
Tuesday is a crazy day in Oakland! There are like 10 million things to do, and not enough time for them all. Highlights include the Oakland Airport Connector at the Public Works Committee, the selection of a new District Attorney at the Alameda County Board of Supervisors meeting, and discussion of the Measure Y audit at the Public Safety Committee.
I’m going to skip the Public Safety Committee and recommend that you do too (thank goodness for KTOP – you can always get the DVD and watch it later at your convenience) in favor of a concurrent event, being put on by the League of Women Voters Oakland about the State budget.
Are you ready for a new District Attorney on Tuesday?
September 13, 2009 by V Smoothe · 17 Comments
You guys are probably all already aware of this, but just in case you somehow missed it – Alameda County District Attorney Tom Orloff, totally randomly and out of nowhere, announced at last week’s Board of Supervisors meeting that he has decided to retire after 15 years in office.
Reminder: AC Transit service reduction workshop in Oakland on Saturday
September 11, 2009 by V Smoothe · 2 Comments
Do you ride the bus? If you do (or even if you don’t), you are surely aware by now of the drastic service cuts in the works for AC Transit. I put up an overview of the proposed changes in Oakland last week, and I will be doing some more detailed posts about the plans for various parts of the City next week.
