No more cookie parade! SOB!
I’ve totally neglected the blog lately, and I really am sorry for that. It’s just been one of those weeks and I just haven’t been able to find the time. There’s a ton of stuff I’m just dying to talk about, though, so I promise to be back in regular form on Monday. But for today, I’m just going to share some other reading material that you might find interesting.
- Mother’s Cookies shut down! Tragic! I suppose it isn’t an immediate tragedy for Oakland, since they closed their factory here and we lost those jobs a couple years ago, but I’m trying to imagine a world without the Cookie Parade, and I have to say, it makes everything seem just a little bit bleaker.
- I really don’t understand people who want to eliminate District elections. Why would we want the Council to be even less accountable to the citizens than they already are? It gives me nightmares to imagine a Council selected entirely by hills voters – we’d have, like, eight Jean Quans!
- I also disagree with calls for pay-go to be eliminated. I think pay-go is really important, although I do agree that, given the difficult budget situation, it should be significantly cut for the time being. Everyone needs to share the pain. But I just have to say – Henry Chang is not doing any favors for those want to defend pay-go as a legitimate expense by giving $4,000 to the US Tennis Association (PDF).
- Eric at Transbay Blog wrote a couple of excellent posts on BART to San Jose. Check them out.
- I don’t know if I’ve had a chance yet to mention Oakland Space Academy here, but it’s a great addition to the local blogosphere. His post about Stand’s Best Picks had me laughing out loud.
- Also making me laugh out loud this week: the comments from Becks and dto510 about zoning in Black Rock City.
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- len raphael: Unconfirmed that MJQ laid off 100 employees today, blaming RDA court case. How much did she and the CC waste in legal fees betting against Jerry’s lawyers?
- ralph: No, Livegreen, Occupy Oakland is doing plenty good. They are the poster children for the new, “This is Your Brain on Dope” Campaign.
- Livegreen: They seem to b determined to shut down Oakland and little else. They’ve forgotten Wall St. I can’t help but think the Officers who were preventing them from breaking in to City Hall could have spent...
- gregory mcconnell: The Occupest disrupted City Hall today. They managed to make it difficult, but not impossible, to go into City Hall. They demanded that people who accosted cops on Wednesday should be released. I was out...
- livegreen: I watched the M-Y mtg last night, & it was painful. Jose is a nice guy, but he has difficulty running a meeting that gets anything done. They debated for about 1 hour whether they should discuss recommendations...
- len raphael: The murder of 5 year old Gabriel Martinez. Got a call from an acquaintance who lives in East O and often gets supper at his family’s taco stand. She asked where she can sign up to help on the recall.
- Ravi: I’m sure that all of those Quan diehards (“a recall would be a waste of time and too expensive”) are very gratified that this lovely and deserving woman is having such a good time. No doubt they prefer...
- len raphael: JQ “”I’m actually having a lot of fun,” she said after rehashing many of the lower moments from her first year in office.” “http://www.insidebayare a.com/news/ci_19651889R...
- Ravi: And regarding police reform and the crime thing, Judge Henderson could decide to put OPD under Federal jurisdiction because the terms of the NSA haven’t been fulfilled by the City Administration. Those folks in City...
- len raphael: Harbinger of things to come to the City Council when they eventually have to make similar decisions. But they won’t. The Fed bankruptcy judge will do it for them.
- livegreen: Yeah, but OUSD has to do something. There are way too many schools for the school population. There’s simply no choice. At least they’re willing to make the tough decisions. Unlike the City of...
- len raphael: Are those school board recalls entirely over the school closing decisions? Different groups or one umbrella?
- Ravi: Two recall petitions for Quan; five recall petitions for five school board members.
- len raphael: City says there are now 7 concurrent recall petitions. Not clear how many are for Quan and how many for Council Members. Direct democracy at work.
- Ravi: Can the Oakland City Council lead? Nope, nor can the Mayor. It’s up to the citizens, who are deeply divided and have been for a very long time.
- len raphael: Oakland Local is the only on or offline general circulation media that shows understanding of the depths of our fiscal situation and understands that it’s causes precede the real estate crash. One of these...
- Mkilian: Related to the Cal Supremes haircut to Oakland with respect to RDA and the immediate need for a “fiscal operations plan” is another issue put forth in Oakland’s internet newspaper, Oakland Local, is...
8 Responses to “No more cookie parade! SOB!”
October 10th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Hi V…thank you for this. Yeah, really looking forward to your take on the combined Zoning Update Committee and Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board meeting on Monday this week and the rezoning of the Central Business District (CBD) generally.
The direction of the rezoning in the CBD has evolved from one utilizing six large, broad-brush height, bulk, and density zones into an approach utilizing a “Fine Grain” approach. I, for one, support the Fine Grain approach because it recognizes that height limits in historic districts and at the edge of Lake Merritt may be necessary in order to preserve the integrity of those areas.
Recognizing and preserving the integrity of historic properties through zoning will also provide clarity and certainty to the development community by identifying those areas which are most appropriate for high density and high-rise development projects.
It was refreshing to see the interaction between the ZUC and the Landmarks Board; both have put a lot of time and good energy into the effort so far.
October 10th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
V – do you have any thoughts on the races for superior court judge and the two AC Transit director positions? (on my ballot are the at large and Ward 2 races). I’ve got most of my other votes figured out but I’m lacking much info there.
October 11th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
I’d second eliminating district elections. However, chip doesn’t go nearly far enough. Don’t replace the positions with 8 at-large positions, eliminate the city council in it’s entirety.
I have yet to see how having a City Council adds value due to the numerous issues Chip has raised throughout the years, just save the money and spend it free tiddly winks & slinkys for every oakland resident. that would actually be entertaining to watch.
October 11th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
First Cookie Magoo’s, now Mother’s Cookies. Good-bye, sugar-filled world…
October 11th, 2008 at 9:30 pm
What about Bakesale Betty’s? Weren’t they supposed to open a store in the DTO around Grand & Broadway?
Even if we’ve lost Mothers, there’s still Ladyfigers. They’re an Oakland institution and their tarts are freakin’ delicious.
October 13th, 2008 at 9:59 am
The USTA has a very successful program in Oakland. The kids in these programs are introduced to groups they would never interact with otherwise. Anything that keeps the kids off the streets and on the playground, playing field or court is money well spent IMHO.
_John D, Oakland
October 13th, 2008 at 10:02 am
I don’t support any use of pay-go money that isn’t limited strictly to Oakland. It’s totally inappropriate for us to be giving local taxpayer money to a program whose services span all of Northern California.
October 13th, 2008 at 10:56 am
Elusis, I’m going to try to write about all the races (judge, AC Transit, EB Mud Director, EBRPD director) over the next two weeks.