-len raphael

One more fiscal failing our officials can blame on Deborah Edgerly.

-len raphael
temescal

Now hold on a minute. The spending outlay for Oakland was scheduled to be $486M in 2008 (back proposed in 2007, according to Jean Quan). Jerry Brown’s proposed 2003 budget was $387M.

Now let’s think about that for a minute. The rulers of Oakland thought that increasing spending by almost 30% over 4 years was a good idea, and sustainable.

IF they had planned to increase with inflation, we’d be talking about a “$15M” or so shortfall, not a manufactured “$80M” shortfall from inflated, unjustifiable numbers.

This is typical government speak, where a smaller increase turns into a “spending cut.” That’s BS. If they had prudently managed the city’s finances, they’d be looking to trim about 3% of the budget, instead of 20%.

Sorry, no tax increases until the city gets the base spending level right.

i also don’t think oakland is in danger of becoming a tourist destination on the scale of s.f. or d.c.. maximum tinsel is not what is happening. more tinsel than before, no doubt. maximum, not a chance. also, i see the progress being made as creating a more livable city. greener, more human-scale, more self-sufficient.

i agree that oakland has a minefield of a history when it comes to local govt. i love that there are people here who care and understand how all this works, and that they devote their energies to making good things happen.

I think it is critical to look carefully at Oakland’s own history, its problems and its strengths (which are many), rather than engage in superficial comparisons to other cities with regard to trendy bars, nightlife, and so forth. Lots of American cities, like San Francisco, have huge tourist, e.g. restaurant, entertainment, shopping, economies, but I am not so sure that this is the model for Oakland. It may not be any sort of a model for a future which many of us hope will be greener, more human-scale, more self-sufficient, than the tourist-town of maximum tinsel, service industry jobs and conspicuous consumption.

Oakland has lots of creative and energetic people. It has intellectual resources. It has the major port in San Francisco Bay.

It also has a political system which is notably lacking in vision and accountability. I think this is where internet activists need to continue to work.

i’ve lived in oakland for 16 years and am still kinda in shock about all the positive (imo) change that’s occured over the last few years. my friends and i talked about how much potential the town had, but were resigned to the fact that it was not in the cards for oakland to grow and thrive and become a destination, especially downtown.

but, it’s happening. and it continues. and it’s brilliant. i feel very lucky to be here, living in the midst of it as its occurring.

i had a lovely espresso at farley’s this morning. while there i met a guy who has bought pat’s over on franklin and 15th and plans on turning it into an art bar…does anyone remember when luka’s opened, what the area was like? think about how different almost everything is in uptown. we’ve come a LOOOONG way. the luka’s folks blazed the way, and deserve much credit.

now, my neighbor and i are looking for someone to step up and open a big irish bar with giant screen tv’s where we can hang out all weekend drinking and watching football (soccer) matches. and i actually believe we may get it.