The City delays dealing with its ongoing deficit; instead it aims to pay its bills by selling $105M of public assets and diverting restricted funds from voter-approved ballot measures
Another authentic and much-missed piece of journalism you won't see in the propaganda mills of Oaklandside & Co., the "best burgers" and "legendary pizza parlor closes" nonsense of the Chronicle, or the insipid "Man Crashes Into Tree" filler stories in the East Bay Times. Everyone with a stake in this crumbling city should be reading these non-ideological, verifiable-fact-based stories. Spread the word.
If only we had experienced adults as elected officials, that were more concerned with helping our city, instead of their perceived image and public service careers.
Thank you again. You have a great ability to distill the important from the noise and present it in a simple and compelling manner. Now, can you do the same for Alameda? Probably not as desperate a problem as Oakland, but the city has a tendency to spend money on boondoggles and then run out. It is preparing the ground for a bond issue right now which it claims is for long-term infrastructure but in fact will be used (at least in part) for day-to-day operations.
This subtack is truly the proverbial "cry in the wilderness." As you skillfully document, the City of Oakland is on a collision course with bankruptcy. It is appalling that a 'rob Peter to pay Paul" scheme is the normal course of "fiscal responsibility," while the status quo of paying obscene salaries is maintained. Thank you for your work, Tim. I will tell everyone I know with a stake in this misbegotten city.
An excellent and sober, if depressing look at Oakland. Appropriate that Thao's home was raided by the FBI today - it's really just the tip of the iceberg in the financial mismanagement and poor ethics exhibited by our city "leadership".
Hate to sound like a broken record, but as always, grateful that Oakland has someone like you performing such valuable and necessary journalism... I wish this one could be given the eyes and attention it so desperately needs & deserves.
Thank you for this incredible report--finally--just facts--albeit very disturbing ones. Regarding this: "The City diverted over $30M of voter-approved ballot measures to pay operating expenses, thereby suspending the City improvements that voters intended." Is this not illegal and could the City be sued for diverting funds like this?
Another authentic and much-missed piece of journalism you won't see in the propaganda mills of Oaklandside & Co., the "best burgers" and "legendary pizza parlor closes" nonsense of the Chronicle, or the insipid "Man Crashes Into Tree" filler stories in the East Bay Times. Everyone with a stake in this crumbling city should be reading these non-ideological, verifiable-fact-based stories. Spread the word.
Yes a hundred times to this.
Much appreciated Tim. Send it to the newspapers and TV outlets.
Great info and analysis.
The mayor and city council members who refuse to acknowledge this live in an alternative universe.
Voters will stop passing ballot measures if this goes through, and future administrations and residents will suffer because of these shenanigans.
We need more experienced adults in the room.
If only we had experienced adults as elected officials, that were more concerned with helping our city, instead of their perceived image and public service careers.
Oakland voters have never met a ballot measure they wouldn’t approve. For them, every good idea must be a public good.
Thank you again. You have a great ability to distill the important from the noise and present it in a simple and compelling manner. Now, can you do the same for Alameda? Probably not as desperate a problem as Oakland, but the city has a tendency to spend money on boondoggles and then run out. It is preparing the ground for a bond issue right now which it claims is for long-term infrastructure but in fact will be used (at least in part) for day-to-day operations.
This subtack is truly the proverbial "cry in the wilderness." As you skillfully document, the City of Oakland is on a collision course with bankruptcy. It is appalling that a 'rob Peter to pay Paul" scheme is the normal course of "fiscal responsibility," while the status quo of paying obscene salaries is maintained. Thank you for your work, Tim. I will tell everyone I know with a stake in this misbegotten city.
Thank you for this work. So desperately needed!
An excellent and sober, if depressing look at Oakland. Appropriate that Thao's home was raided by the FBI today - it's really just the tip of the iceberg in the financial mismanagement and poor ethics exhibited by our city "leadership".
Excellent. Thank you.
Hate to sound like a broken record, but as always, grateful that Oakland has someone like you performing such valuable and necessary journalism... I wish this one could be given the eyes and attention it so desperately needs & deserves.
Thank you!!!!!
Thank you for this incredible report--finally--just facts--albeit very disturbing ones. Regarding this: "The City diverted over $30M of voter-approved ballot measures to pay operating expenses, thereby suspending the City improvements that voters intended." Is this not illegal and could the City be sued for diverting funds like this?