With the $80 parcel tax measure still alive and kicking in Oakland, City Council will consider whether to put the ballot item in front of voters at its June 21 meeting.

The parcel tax, which is expected to bring in $11 million annually, is a key linchpin in keeping the city from applying total draconian cuts in service. Without the tax (and concessions from union workers), Mayor Jean Quan said Oakland will face library branch closures, cuts to senior services and the city's parks and recreation department.

This particular parcel tax has been discussed by the City Council before. In early April, the Council said Quan did not place the tax parcel on their agenda in time to allow a standard 10-day public notice. Consequently, the mayor needed six of the eight Council members to make an “urgency” finding if it was going to be on a special ballot. That did not happen and thus the special ballot in July that Quan wanted for the tax measure failed.

Oakland needs every dollar it can get. This coming fiscal year, the city is facing a $58 million budget shortfall that it has to plug. A $76 million deficit is expected for the following fiscal year.

According to the mayor's office, once police, fire, debt and restricted funds are taken out of the budget pie, Oakland only has $26 million available to cover $72 million in programs.

Quan said there will be consequence for not getting the measure before voters in a timely manner.

"Now, even if it passes ... there's probably going to be about 200 people who are going to be laid off for sure in July because we won't know whether or not a parcel tax passes until November," she said.

Quan said the city is beginning its layoff process.

"Departments are beginning to identify the people and we will start to notifying people (shortly thereafter)," she said.

Complicating the whole process is the strong chance that the city may have to hold an election to bring in a new City Attorney because John Russo has left the post to become city manager of Alameda. City Council can of course appoint someone in the short term to the position, but it's far from certain that will happen.

Also, Councilman Larry Reid said some Council members don't want a special election with just the parcel tax measure on the ballot.

"Some of my colleagues are looking to put other items on the ballot, they don't want the parcel tax to just be free standing," he said.

"There are a lot of balls in the air," Quan added.

The city will have its work cut out for it in convincing voters to support the tax. Last November, Oakland voters rejected a $360-per-parcel tax, which was designed to mostly help fund the police department.