City Council to Consider Adopting Budget and Amendments Tonight

Tonight, beginning sometime after 6:30pm, the Oakland City Council is expected to adopt the fiscal year 2013-2015 budget (item #9).  The importance of the budget can hardly be understated: this document will control the City’s expenditures over the next two years.  The budget is where the Council is called upon to put its money where … Read more

Make Oakland Better Now! Mayor’s Budget: Two Proposed Amendments – Part 2

Make Oakland Better Now! will be present at the next Oakland City Council Meeting on June 13th at 6:30pm to urge the City Council to adopt the Mayor’s proposed budget with Council President Kernighan’s proposed changes.  This post is the second in a series to look at the budget amendments proposed by Council President Kernighan and … Read more

Make Oakland Better Now! : The Mayor’s Budget And Two Proposed Amendments – Part 1

On June 13, Make Oakland Better Now! will be present at the Oakland City Council Meeting at 6:30 p.m., urging the City Council to adopt the Mayor’s proposed budget with Council President Kernighan’s proposed changes.  This post is the first in a series to look at the budget amendments proposed by Council President Kernighan and … Read more

Will the Mayor’s Proposed Budget Rebuild Oakland’s Police Department?

On Sunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s Church, 114 Montecito, Make Oakland Better Now! will sponsor a public forum, “Can Oakland Afford to Be Safe?,” featuring Chief of Police Howard Jordan, City Administrator Deanna Santana and key staff members to discuss the connection between Oakland’s budget challenges and the need to rebuild the … Read more

Chose Kids Park Over Dog Park In Oakland

Tonight, the Oakland City Council will take up the issue of a “Dog Park” at what is now called Astro Park, the popular green space bordered by Lakeshore, Mac Arthur, and Grand Avenues next to Lake Merritt and between Oakland’s Adams Point area and the China / Haddon Hill area. To be frank and clear, … Read more

Larry Reid For Oakland City Council District 7 Reelection

Frankly, this should not be an issue, but Oaklanders living in District 7 should reelect Oakland’s long-time, legendary City Councilmember, and Council President Larry Reid. This blogger has known Larry since 1995, when he was then the chief-of-staff for then-Oakland Mayor Elihu Harris. Larry has always cared for those most in need in Oakland, and … Read more

Oakland Councilmember De La Fuente Called Homophobe By LGBT Club

Oakland Councilmember Ignacio De La Fuente’s in hot water over a campaign approach that overstepped the bounds of appropriate taste in his battle for the current At-Large City Council seat held by Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan. VOTE FOR KAPLAN FOR OAKLAND AT LARGE A letter sent by the The East Bay Stonewall Democratic Club this evening … Read more

Oakland News: Oakland City Council Races 48-hrs Before Election Day

In this Oakland News you know it’s just 48 hours before election day when on Saturday night, you see Nyesha DeWitt’s campaign truck parked on Broadway at 10 PM. Have to admit, this blogger’s never seen a U-Haul used to get out a candidate’s vote, but that was the case here: So with that, let’s … Read more

Talking About Education In Oakland – by Sean Sullivan

TownPAC’s Executive Director Sean Ebon Glenn asks me, Sean Sullivan, about Education, Community Schools and how it relates to my city council run. I appreciate TownPAC’s commitment to education and was happy to sit for this interview. Sean Sullivanseansullivan.org

Oakland Politics: On Sean Sullivan, Richard Fuentes, Ignacio De La Fuente – By Steve Lowe

On the matter of the Oakland City Council races and Oakland politics, I wish I could cotton to the Sean Sullivan, Richard Fuentes, Ignacio De La Fuente triumvirate more, but I get the cribbles just listening to some of their tales of past accomplishments – which jabber doesn’t jibe with my memory of how things … Read more

A Safer City; A Safer Oakland

A Safer City; A Safer Oakland Our campaign for Oakland City Council has focused on improving Public Safety, Creating Jobs and Smart Growth and Restoring Essential Neighborhood Services. Some people have asked why Public Safety is my number one concern. Can’t we just create jobs? Won’t the kids on the street corners just jump off … Read more

A City Council for All of Us

Yesterday, I had the fortune to launch on Zennie62 and also, get respond to some queries on Love, Health and Advocacy. I first met Tanya Love when she came to a house/store party I had in Uptown at Inkwell Tattoo Studio in February. I have been excited to watch how she has covered the Oakland … Read more

Oakland Police Draw Guns In Public To “Detain” Unarmed Black Man

Oakland Police are in trouble again. This video was posted on July 31st on YouTube, and captures an incident that happened in front of Awaken Cafe near 15th and Broadway. According to the YouTuber bellaeiko, or Jessica Holley, (the same Jessica Holley who at one point said she was running for the Oakland City Council … Read more

Jane Brunner Gets Oakland Police Endorsement For City Attorney

A bit of an Oakland shocker until you think about it: Oakland Councilmember Jane Brunner just landed the endorsement of the Oakland Police Union called the Oakland Police Officers Association. Here’s what Jane told those on her email list: I am excited to announce that the Oakland Police Officers Association (OPOA) has endorsed my campaign … Read more

Oakland Mayor Jean Quan’s Disastrous 100-Blocks Press Conference – Full Video

Oakland Mayor Jean Quan returned from a trip to Brazil and in general a number of travel obligations that kept her out of Oakland far more than she was in it over the last five months, and to a swarm of controversy about her 100-blocks initiative that, on Wednesday June 27th at 2 PM, degenerated … Read more

Oakland City Council District 3 Race: Sean Sullivan, Ken Pratt, Lynette Gibson McElhaney

This video was made on the evening of the June 12th Oakland City Council District Three Candidates Forum. This blogger was fresh in town from what was my fifth trip back to Atlanta, Georgia this year so far (in fact, I didn’t plan to attend the event because of the flight schedule), and took a … Read more

Oakland City Council Will Change; Oaklanders Get To Decide How – Dan Cohen

The Oakland City Council is going to change, here’s how you can get involved. Since we live in a world where incumbents seem to win 110% of the time, it’s a huge deal when they don’t run.  And once in a while, there’s a chance for seismic change when more than one decide not to … Read more

Oakland News: Vote For Donald Macleay, Sean Sullivan, Abel Guillen; City Attorney Race

In this Oakland News we have politics elections. First, I’m asking you, Oaklander, to vote for Donald Macleay for Oakland City Council District One, Sean Sullivan for Oakland City Council District Three, and Abel Guillen for California Assembly District 18. And as an addition, Rebecca Kaplan for the At-Large Seat. (Note, this is for the … Read more

Oakland Mayor Jean Quan Recall Effort Officially Dead Says Gene Hazzard

Oakland Mayor Jean Quan can rest now. The effort to recall Mayor Quan is officially dead (along with the website photo that gives her green lipstick) according to its originator, Oakland’s long-time enabler Gene Hazzard. Gene sent a text pointing this blogger to his official website called “removejeanquan.com” and two letters posted on Friday May … Read more

Angela Woodall Blasts Zennie Abraham Over Coliseum Opinion

Angela Woodall’s fun to argue with, even if this blogger can’t get a word in edge-wise. What the Oakland Tribune Reporter did on Thursday was call me to complain that I mentioned her extensively in my recent blog posts (haven’t done a video yet) about the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum Complex, and blast me for … Read more

Mayor Jean Quan Had Affair With Ron Dellums In 2009

UPDATE: Mayor Quan Pissed Over April Fools Joke. Fans of Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums believed he was on a good track to recover what some others had said was a failed effort as Mayor of Oakland, and expected him to announce his run to be reelected as far back at late 2009. But, and while … Read more

Oakland Coliseum JPA Called Corrupt By Oakland Tribune Reporter

The Oakland Alameda County Coliseum Authority, or “Joint Powers Authority”, or “JPA” is known for its rather clubby politics, at times so much so that it leads many to question how it operates. One of those who’s done so, or formed a conclusion, is Oakland Tribune Reporter Angela Woodall. Woodall regularly covers the JPA, so … Read more

Oakland Police Chief Jordan Talks Problem Solving-Officer Redeployment

Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan, concerned that the public has the wrong idea about the redeployment of what the City of Oakland calls “Problem Solving Officers”, wrote “a letter to the community” which appears below. It essentially says that 35 police officers are still placed in each of the City’s 35 police beats, but 22 … Read more

Oakland News: Kathy Neal Quits Assm Race, Blasts Joel Young; Boots Riley Strikes

A lot of Oakland News to catch up on so let’s get started. First, Kathy Neal called to explain that yes she’s out of the race for the 18th California Assembly District Seat, and while she’s not yet endorsing a candidate, the person she’s definitely not backing is AC Transit Board Member Joel Young. What … Read more

Occupy Oakland Arrestees Tortured In Jail; Oakland “Y” Hosts Protestor Escape

According to the Daily Kos, and other blogs, a number of the 400 people arrested during last Saturday’s Occupy Oakland protest were sent to Santa Rita Jail, and of those who were not able to make bail set, they’re reportedly being tortured. Yes, you did read that correctly. Here’s what was presented at Daily Kos’ … Read more

AEG Should Not Run The Oakland Coliseum

The City of Oakland and Alameda County must reject AEG, the Anschutz Entertainment Group, from being even considered as stadium manager for the Oakland Coliseum, and for one reason: AEG does not have the best interest of the Oakland Coliseum in mind. Why would an organization openly court the Oakland Raiders to move to Los … Read more

Oakland Should Sue MLB, San Jose, And The Oakland A’s Right Now

The reports are all over that Major League Baseball’s long-delayed report on the Oakland A’s in Oakland, and if they should be given permission to leave Oakland for San Jose, will be released “soon,” and the verdict is that the A’s will be given permission to move to San Jose. If Oakland Mayor Jean Quan … Read more

Oakland Mayor Jean Quan Recall – Ken Pratt Rips Quan

Oakland Mayor Jean Quan is facing two things: a recall signature gathering process and the wrath of Oaklander Ken Pratt. This blogger literally ran into Mr. Pratt at last night’s benefit for Occupy Oakland, and he gave a video interview that can only be called searing. Pratt’s massively pissed off that Mayor Quan’s aide Sue … Read more

Oakland Busness Community Mixed On Mayor Quan, On Recall Fence

Is the Oakland Business Community really behind the planned recall effort of Mayor Jean Quan? As one blogger who’s lived in Oakland since 1974, it’s easy to gain the temperature around town because people either call or talk about the matter every day, including today. Let’s say this: the issue of the recall of Mayor … Read more

Oakland Mayor Quan, Don’t Fire Anne Campbell Washington Over A Hug!

Now that Oakland Mayor Jean Quan did a good move in bring Anne Campbell Washington back to Oakland, this blogger has one request: don’t fire her for hugging someone who may disagree with you! Because that’s exactly what happened to Anne Campbell Washington in 2008. Washington, who comes from the UC Berkeley Goldman School of … Read more

Oakland City Council Approves Police Officer Hiring Resolution

On a 5-2 vote, The Oakland City Council approved a resolution that was crafted by Council President Larry Reid (District 7), Councilmember Pat Kernighan (District 2), and Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan (At-Large) to direct over $6 million to hire new Oakland Police Officers if if Measure I passes in November. Oakland voters have already received their … Read more