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Only around 32% of city employees live in Oakland. Their unions are campaigning for taxes that most city workers don’t pay.
Most Oakland city workers don’t live in Oakland and don’t pay local taxes. Yet their unions have spent nearly half a million dollars to campaign for…
 • Oakland Report
Oakland: the politics of emotional blackmail
For years, city leaders and advocates have repeatedly claimed that the city’s failures are someone else’s fault, criticisms are personal attacks, and…
 • Oakland Report
Lawsuit filed against City of Oakland over Measure E
The lawsuit accuses the City of using SEIU Local 1021 to “front” what should have been a Council-sponsored parcel tax — and burying the evidence by…
 • Oakland Report
The elephant in the classroom
Oakland Education Association has spent over $239,000 to elect a school board majority friendly to the union’s financial interests. Those board members…
 • Sean S. Reinhart
There’s something about Rebecca
The City of Oakland just can’t seem to quit Rebecca Kaplan. After she left elected office, the city gave her a publicly-funded $149,000 per year job …
 • Sean S. Reinhart

Recent posts

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Oakland’s police commission could be headed for reform
A new proposed charter amendment would change how commissioners are chosen, move the Inspector General under the City Auditor, and remove the…
 • Alex Montana
Only 35% of Oakland’s rental housing is rent-controlled — and parcel taxes raise their rents, too
Oakland’s ‘rent control’ covers a much smaller slice of the rental market than most people realize — and studies have shown that parcel taxes are…
 • Sean S. Reinhart
‘A decision-making problem’: County schools chief warns Oakland Unified is at risk of running out of money
Alameda County Superintendent Alysse Castro warned in an April 16 letter that the Oakland school board keeps making new spending promises "without a…
 • Oakland Report
Oakland taxes hit deep East Oakland's homes up to 48% harder than Rockridge's
The Measure E parcel tax, if approved by voters on June 2, would continue a historic trend of disproportionately burdening East Oakland neighborhoods.
 • Sean S. Reinhart
13:08
'Where is my tax money going?': KTVU 2 News interviews Oakland Report
Television station KTVU invited Oakland Report managing editor Sean Reinhart to talk about Oakland's many taxes.
 • Oakland Report
Shrinkflation: Oakland is charging residents more and giving them less
Two decades of rising government costs, escalating tax burdens, and stagnant services.
 • Sean S. Reinhart
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Commentary

View all
Oakland: the politics of emotional blackmail
For years, city leaders and advocates have repeatedly claimed that the city’s failures are someone else’s fault, criticisms are personal attacks, and…
 • Oakland Report
The elephant in the classroom
Oakland Education Association has spent over $239,000 to elect a school board majority friendly to the union’s financial interests. Those board members…
 • Sean S. Reinhart
'Where is my tax money going?': KTVU 2 News interviews Oakland Report
Television station KTVU invited Oakland Report managing editor Sean Reinhart to talk about Oakland's many taxes.
 • Oakland Report
13:08
Oakland union boss threatens fire station closures unless voters approve tax hike – despite the city's past broken promises
Oakland’s 20-year record of diverted tax funds, fire station cuts used for political pressure, and a firefighters union that continues to back new tax…
 • Sean S. Reinhart
The Bookmark: a cornerstone at the intersection of Broadway and civic self-reliance
A volunteer-driven nonprofit bookstore redefines public service in Oakland — and demonstrates the power of Oakland’s people to thrive despite chronic…
 • Sean S. Reinhart
Eliminating standardized testing undermined University of California’s own admissions goals
Standardized tests improve fairness in admissions while increasing opportunities for high performing students from disadvantaged backgrounds
 • Oakland Report
75% of Black Oakland residents surveyed say the taxes they pay are not worth it
Also: Nine out of ten Black survey respondents said crime and public safety are 'concerning' or 'extremely concerning' — the highest concern level of…
 • Loren Taylor
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'Where is my tax money going?': KTVU 2 News interviews Oakland Report
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Oakland Report
Only around 32% of city employees live in Oakland. Their unions are campaigning for taxes that most city workers don’t pay.
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Sean S. Reinhart
The elephant in the classroom
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Tim Gardner
Oakland is beautiful and we deserve better - Letters to the Editor
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Bob Borek
Oakland school board (OUSD) approves $102.5 million in budget cuts in 5-2 vote
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Oakland Report provides reasoned, evidence-based analyses and critiques of the policies, actions, and inactions of our city, county, and state governments.
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