Posts Tagged ‘Oakland city council’
“Communities of interest” at forefront of redistricting talks
The Oakland City Council tackled the thorny issue of redistricting Tuesday night, hearing from communities of interest about balancing the goals of equalizing numbers of people in each council district, while preserving the integrity of the city’s historic neighborhoods.
Read MoreNew work group to probe city council’s ethics, accountability
Oakland City Councilmember Dan Kalb is attempting to put the spotlight on civic accountability with a new ethics work group. The group will provide a forum for public comment, and it will work in an unofficial advisory capacity with the Oakland Public Ethics Commission.
Read MoreAssembly Bill 180 looks to tighten gun regulation in Oakland
If signed into law, AB 180 would take the historic step of making Oakland the first city in the state to regulate the registration or licensing of firearms on a local level.
Read MoreOakland passes ban on “tools of violence” at protests
Councilmember Noel Gallo’s ordinance prohibiting demonstrators from carrying “tools of violence” went through final passage at Tuesday night’s Oakland City Council meeting, effectively banning items such as hammers, shields and knives from protests. The ordinance was brought up again before the council in light of the protests against George Zimmerman’s acquittal this summer in the…
Read MoreOaklanders worry redistricting will lead to imbalance during elections
New proposed boundaries between Oakland’s hills and flatlands are near the top of the agenda as Oakland prepares to redraw boundaries of city council and school board districts.
Read MoreCity Council talks OPD complaint intake, new job center and cutting ties with Goldman Sachs
Several dozen people gathered on the steps of City Hall ahead of Tuesday’s city council meeting to show support for a resolution to fund the West Oakland Job Resource Center.
Read MoreUnion protest overwhelms early Oakland City Council budget talks
As the city gets ready to tackle a new two-year budget, councilmembers heard a presentation on Oakland’s fiscal future at Tuesday’s city council meeting. Whoops, jeers and the sound of a cowbell punctuated the meeting, and before the council could hear the presentation, they heard from dozens of angry union members and chants of “Enough is enough!” from the audience stalled proceedings more than once.
Read MoreCity Council OK’s hiring law enforcement consultants including ex-LAPD chief William Bratton
The City Council on Tuesday night voted in a slew of programs aimed at reducing violent crime in Oakland, including hiring a police consulting firm for $250,000, contracting with the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, hiring 20 civilians to assist police, and funding a third police academy in two years.
Read MoreNewly sworn-in Oakland City Council says resources should be shifted to public safety
Oakland’s new city council members, who were inaugurated at a ceremony at City Hall Monday, set the stage for the elected body’s biggest policy focus of the next four years—public safety. While it’s no secret that crime is Oakland’s number one problem, with the city’s homicide rate reaching 131 on the last day of 2012,…
Read MoreAs new members join the Oakland City Council, three long-serving politicians move on
This week will end the tenure of three of the longest-standing members on the Oakland City Council, each of whom has served for nearly two decades. On January 7, three new members who won in the November 2012 election will take over for District 5 Councilmember Ignacio De La Fuente, who gave up his position…
Read MoreOakland North’s biggest news stories of 2012
2012 was a year of big changes for Oakland, as the city dealt with its struggling finances, a possible federal takeover of its police department, multiple petitions to recall the mayor and the closure of several elementary schools.
Read MoreCity Council approves Rockridge Safeway expansion, ties vote on Lake Merritt Dog Park
The Rockridge Safeway expansion, and inclusion of a dog park in Lake Merritt, are two highly-contested issues that were taken on by the City Council Tuesday night, when three of the longest-standing councilmembers cast their last vote as local elected officials.
Read MoreNew faces join Oakland City Council, School Board ranks
After months of fundraising, campaigning and speeches all around the city, five new faces will join the Oakland City Council and the city’s school board. Some of them have never held public office before; others have previously held other roles in local government.
Read MoreDistrict 1 City Council candidates take questions from Oakland residents
From Fruitvale to Rockridge, Oakland North reporters spoke recently to residents about the city council elections. We asked everyone the same question: If you could speak directly to the candidates, what would you like to know? We delivered the most frequent of the residents’ questions, in person to the seven candidates for the District 1…
Read MoreAmy Lemley cites public safety, youth issues as her campaign’s top priorities
Amy Lemley, the only woman among seven candidates competing for the District 1 seat, lists safety, the economy and education as some of her campaign’s top priorities. The Oakland Police Officers Association and the Chamber of Commerce are some of Lemley’s endorsers.
Read MoreLen Raphael vows to ‘shake up city hall,’ cut compensation for city employees
Accountant Len Raphael, one of the seven people running for a District 1 city council seat, plans to hire more police officers, using funds gained from cutting compensation for all city employees.
Read More