Special election parcel tax to be considered again
Do you guys remember back in April when the Council was voting on whether to schedule a special election to put a new parcel tax on the ballot? They never managed...
Why I’m voting Yes on Measure BB
A couple of months ago, I had a conversation about Measure BB with a local good government advocate who I have a great deal of respect for. At that time, I was pretty...
Bruce Nye: How can we fix Measure Y?
Bruce Nye is Board Chair of Make Oakland Better Now! Except where otherwise indicated, however, the opinions in this post are his, and do not necessarily reflect...
Tax Fever, Part 1!
First, some housekeeping. Thank you so much to all of you for the warm welcome back! For those of you who used to subscribe to e-mail updates for new blog posts,...
Another “special” budget meeting tomorrow night
Tomorrow, the Oakland City Council will hold yet another one of everyone’s favorite events — a special budget meeting. You may recall the proposals for...
Budget balancing proposal released, no new service cuts
As we saw last week, Oakland’s budget problems are ongoing. The City is currently anticipating an $18.87 million deficit in the General Purpose Fund by the...
The rest of your ballot
Well, people certainly have strong opinions about Measure D. Honestly, I don’t get it. If you’re seriously concerned about Oakland being better run,...
Saving Oakland’s car dealerships. Maybe.
At tomorrow’s meeting (PDF), the Oakland City Council’s Community and Economic Development Committee will receive a report on the status of Oakland auto...
About that sales tax
New taxes up for consideration at the Oakland City Council meeting (PDF) tomorrow include a marijuana tax (PDF) (covered thoroughly by Becks), a new parcel tax for...
Judge: City used Measure Y funds in violation of law
The final ruling on Marleen Sacks’s lawsuit against the City over Measure Y has been issued, and Judge Frank Roesch has agreed that it was not legal for the...
Parks, taxes, and promises
In addition to the continued debate on the repeal of Measure OO, the Oakland City Council tonight will also consider placing a $46 parcel tax (PDF) on the ballot...
Jack O’Connell vs. OUSD
I have my hands full enough with the City that I don’t even try to cover the schools, but that doesn’t mean I’m not interested in them. I wish...



