Thanks for writing this! I wonder how well run cities operate -- are there measures of how many sewer lines and their length are replaced, how long property inspections or permits take and so on to actually see what departments and individuals are not meeting minimum standards? Are there minimum standards? Why is police overtime paid without documented justification? Do independent CPAs who specialize in well-run governments need to come in to audit the budgets and books of the City of Oakland? Until the mystery of why Oakland gets less services per tax dollar than most other cities, I don't see how anything can change. Though your excellent columns help!
I believe you misstated this in your original premise:
"Yet Oakland intends to ask voters to give even more."
'Taxpayers' are but a small subset of Oakland 'Voters'.
And therein lies the problem.
If they were the same folks, the voting would likely be more prudent in regard to taxes, as we see in many other cities and counties.
But for better or worse, a large percentage of Oakland voters do not pay property taxes, business taxes, etc. So voting for these taxes for them is a 'free kick' and a chance to raise money from others for government programs they are told will benefit them.
I support everyone voting on sales tax because everyone pays it.
But why do so many citizens get to vote on property taxes when they don't have to pay them?
(Rent control effectively insulates them from the effects of property tax increases on their apartment buildings. No, owners do NOT get to pass it along to renters!)
Hi RJ, thank you for your comment on our article, "Death and taxes: Oakland City Council is the one who knocks." We would like to publish your comment in our next Letters to the Editor column. Our standard is to sign letters with the writer's name and city. Would you please be so kind as to let us know your city of residence? You can let us know through private message. Thank you--
Parcel tax also supports public education, including a significant number of community college classes, and auxiliary staff engaged in critical support services and programs. Oakland Unified also relies on parcel tax since Prop 13 gutted funding long ago: https://www.ousd.org/community/parcel-taxes. There are also exemptions for low income home owners. None of this is mentioned here. I agree Oakland needs better management, and citizens can help with that: https://www.oaklandca.gov/Government/Boards-Commissions
Christopher, thank you for your comment. The focus of this article is to report on the finance and budget committee’s discussions about new taxes the city is contemplating.
With respect to Proposition 13, it was passed by California voters into law nearly 50 years ago. Many other cities and school districts have adapted to that change since then and do not have the same deep-seated financial problems that Oakland has. For cities and school districts, especially ones as poorly managed as Oakland’s, to blame Proposition 13 for their budget shortfalls today—shortfalls which are almost entirely and demonstrably due to many years of chronic fiscal mismanagement by those agencies—is disingenuous at best and cynical at worst. These agencies’ renewed focus on Proposition 13 in recent times has all the appearances of an attempt to deflect blame that is rightly theirs and theirs alone.
There is a valid debate to be had about the pros and cons of Proposition 13, but Oakland’s public agencies’ fiscal
mismanagement proves that they have little standing or credibility when it comes to being truthful about the reasons why they are going broke. Thank you again for the discussion, it is appreciated!
Thanks for your response, Sean. I worked for OUSD and the Peralta Community College system, as both a teacher and later as a manager. The current Peralta leadership is not shy to admit their problems largely stem from over a decade of mismanagement. The BOT owns that as well. I wholeheartedly support addressing those issues. Regardless, public education is still underfunded. I’d argue a dollar well spent on public education in Oakland will save $10 on law enforcement. Reduce truancy and drop out rates, and provide opportunities for affordable job training and I guarantee you will see less crime.
Also, look at properties such as the one where the city of Dave’s Diner was. Vacant for well over a decade. What’s up with that? Force sale properties like that. It will lower commercial property rates and help to stimulate new businesses, don’t you think? Otherwise, it just looks like a tax write off for someone who may not even live on the community.
While highlighting the inefficiencies and waste in Oakland’s govt is a necessary check on Oakland’s elected officials and employees, that there are inefficiencies and waste is not news to anyone living in Oakland. Rather what is needed from the Oakland Report is what we can affirmatively do to improve the situation. Complaining and pointing out inefficiencies is the easy part. Coming with feasible step by step action plans to improve Oakland is the hard part.
Don, thank you for your comment. The focus of this article was to report on the council finance and management committee’s discussions about a new tax measure that the city is contemplating and is already counting as income.
Oakland Report will be taking a much closer look at all of Oakland’s tax measures in the months ahead, including a set of considerations for Oakland voters to take into account. Thank you again for the discussion!
Yet more priceless content from Oakland Report. Thank you for this excellent work. How do we get this to the rest of the people in Oakland? Property owners need this information so they can show up for themselves in the election for a change. And perhaps an AI-generated short video that nails the highlights for all the non-readers? Not kidding!
Thanks for writing this! I wonder how well run cities operate -- are there measures of how many sewer lines and their length are replaced, how long property inspections or permits take and so on to actually see what departments and individuals are not meeting minimum standards? Are there minimum standards? Why is police overtime paid without documented justification? Do independent CPAs who specialize in well-run governments need to come in to audit the budgets and books of the City of Oakland? Until the mystery of why Oakland gets less services per tax dollar than most other cities, I don't see how anything can change. Though your excellent columns help!
I believe you misstated this in your original premise:
"Yet Oakland intends to ask voters to give even more."
'Taxpayers' are but a small subset of Oakland 'Voters'.
And therein lies the problem.
If they were the same folks, the voting would likely be more prudent in regard to taxes, as we see in many other cities and counties.
But for better or worse, a large percentage of Oakland voters do not pay property taxes, business taxes, etc. So voting for these taxes for them is a 'free kick' and a chance to raise money from others for government programs they are told will benefit them.
I support everyone voting on sales tax because everyone pays it.
But why do so many citizens get to vote on property taxes when they don't have to pay them?
(Rent control effectively insulates them from the effects of property tax increases on their apartment buildings. No, owners do NOT get to pass it along to renters!)
Hi RJ, thank you for your comment on our article, "Death and taxes: Oakland City Council is the one who knocks." We would like to publish your comment in our next Letters to the Editor column. Our standard is to sign letters with the writer's name and city. Would you please be so kind as to let us know your city of residence? You can let us know through private message. Thank you--
What an extraordinary piece of reporting. Thank you so much for doing this!
Will Oakland need a new bond to pay $624 million in addition for reneging on the Oakland Terminal project? How much will this cost the taxpayers?
Parcel tax also supports public education, including a significant number of community college classes, and auxiliary staff engaged in critical support services and programs. Oakland Unified also relies on parcel tax since Prop 13 gutted funding long ago: https://www.ousd.org/community/parcel-taxes. There are also exemptions for low income home owners. None of this is mentioned here. I agree Oakland needs better management, and citizens can help with that: https://www.oaklandca.gov/Government/Boards-Commissions
Christopher, thank you for your comment. The focus of this article is to report on the finance and budget committee’s discussions about new taxes the city is contemplating.
With respect to Proposition 13, it was passed by California voters into law nearly 50 years ago. Many other cities and school districts have adapted to that change since then and do not have the same deep-seated financial problems that Oakland has. For cities and school districts, especially ones as poorly managed as Oakland’s, to blame Proposition 13 for their budget shortfalls today—shortfalls which are almost entirely and demonstrably due to many years of chronic fiscal mismanagement by those agencies—is disingenuous at best and cynical at worst. These agencies’ renewed focus on Proposition 13 in recent times has all the appearances of an attempt to deflect blame that is rightly theirs and theirs alone.
There is a valid debate to be had about the pros and cons of Proposition 13, but Oakland’s public agencies’ fiscal
mismanagement proves that they have little standing or credibility when it comes to being truthful about the reasons why they are going broke. Thank you again for the discussion, it is appreciated!
Thanks for your response, Sean. I worked for OUSD and the Peralta Community College system, as both a teacher and later as a manager. The current Peralta leadership is not shy to admit their problems largely stem from over a decade of mismanagement. The BOT owns that as well. I wholeheartedly support addressing those issues. Regardless, public education is still underfunded. I’d argue a dollar well spent on public education in Oakland will save $10 on law enforcement. Reduce truancy and drop out rates, and provide opportunities for affordable job training and I guarantee you will see less crime.
Also, look at properties such as the one where the city of Dave’s Diner was. Vacant for well over a decade. What’s up with that? Force sale properties like that. It will lower commercial property rates and help to stimulate new businesses, don’t you think? Otherwise, it just looks like a tax write off for someone who may not even live on the community.
While highlighting the inefficiencies and waste in Oakland’s govt is a necessary check on Oakland’s elected officials and employees, that there are inefficiencies and waste is not news to anyone living in Oakland. Rather what is needed from the Oakland Report is what we can affirmatively do to improve the situation. Complaining and pointing out inefficiencies is the easy part. Coming with feasible step by step action plans to improve Oakland is the hard part.
Don, thank you for your comment. The focus of this article was to report on the council finance and management committee’s discussions about a new tax measure that the city is contemplating and is already counting as income.
Oakland Report will be taking a much closer look at all of Oakland’s tax measures in the months ahead, including a set of considerations for Oakland voters to take into account. Thank you again for the discussion!
Yet more priceless content from Oakland Report. Thank you for this excellent work. How do we get this to the rest of the people in Oakland? Property owners need this information so they can show up for themselves in the election for a change. And perhaps an AI-generated short video that nails the highlights for all the non-readers? Not kidding!
Another story that is important & interesting & you won't see in the old "news" outlets.