Many of Oakland’s politicians, faith leaders and community organizations are united in their support for Measure BB on the upcoming November election.

The measure, if passed by 66 percent of the vote, would allow the city of Oakland to hire back 63 police officers that were laid off earlier this year. It also would retain the city’s multi-pronged violence prevention programs - composed of law enforcement, street outreach, crisis response and case management.

At a community event to promote the passage of Measure BB in Montclair Friday, nine of the 10 mayoral candidates showed up and told more than 100 people how they would maintain and expand on current Measure Y programming.

The event moved candidate Greg Harland to share his personal experience with the criminal justice system as a youth: Oakland Police had picked him up, while he was homeless. He was sent to reform school, where he was beaten and stabbed. He said he left the institution very angry, and it took him a long time to find the right path.

“We have to provide these services,” Harland said. “We can’t let these kids go through what I went through if it's possible.”

Frontrunners Rebecca Kaplan, Don Perata and Jean Quan also expressed unequivocal support for Measure BB.

Peter Kim, a managing director of the East Bay Asian Youth Center, said two years ago, he supervised a staff of six full-time caseworkers. Kim’s organization provides holistic services to 90 youth who are released from juvenile hall every year through Measure Y funding, the predecessor of Measure BB.

“Since a couple of years ago, that staff have been cut to three full-time,” said Kim. “If Measure BB doesn’t pass, at best we’re looking at one case manager.”

Despite the broad-based support by city and community leaders, opponents of Measure BB said the city has continually mismanaged Measure Y funds for years.

Byron Williams, an Oakland pastor and columnist, said the city did not meet the minimum requirements to receive Measure Y funds, but used deceptive language to use the money anyway. And while organizations working with high-risk communities should be commended, Williams said they should have offered critiques as soon as the city began misusing Measure Y funds.

“Because they provide valuable services to the community, they should have been the primary individuals that held the city accountable,” Williams said.

However, Kim said voters should be careful to weed out the problems the police department is facing with hiring and retention, with the services community-based organizations offer.

“I think those are two different issues that shouldn’t be lumped into one big bowl together,” Kim said.