From Jane Brunner, word on the budget crisis and some next steps:

The City of Oakland is in a financial crisis.  The City has had a drop in revenues of $70 million per year in the last five years. This year, the City faces a $31.5 million budget gap in the General Fund, (down from $42 million after $11 million in cuts made in April) - and larger gaps for future years.
 
Today, as President of the Oakland City Council, I released my own budget proposal for how to address the City’s budget crisis by cutting the budgets of all Elected Officials, City administration, and City programs. What follows below is a description of the key principles of my proposal. A matrix of all proposed reductions is included as an attachment.
 
First, it is important that you understand where your tax dollars are going. The City anticipates receiving $400 million in revenue for the General Fund this year:
 
    •    75% will be spent on Public Safety – Police and Fire Services.
    •    10% on debt service.
    •    8% on voter mandated programs including “Kids First” and the “the Library Measure Q”
    •    The remaining 7% (approximately $28 million) will pay for senior centers, libraries, parks and recreations programs, park maintenance and other core City functions.
 
Even if the City closed all the libraries, senior centers and recreation centers (which I am not proposing), this budget deficit could not be solved without some help from police and fire services because they make up such a big portion of the budget picture.
 
Proposal from the City Council President:
 
As President of the Oakland City Council I am making the following proposal to close the budget deficit for this year and next. I am doing this knowing that the proposed cuts are not easy to make. However, deep cuts must be made.  Our problems are only getting harder to solve over time.
 
Salary Reductions
 
I believe that Oaklanders want to see the City make the same sacrifices that they are making themselves in this tough economy. Last year, most City employees gave back 10% in salaries and benefits. I propose that any employee who makes over $100,000 give back an additional 10%.
 
Making Oakland City Government Smarter and More Efficient
 
I propose that the City re-make the Neighborhood Service Coordinator (NSC) Program, consolidating this program and others into a new “community outreach” classification.
 
Existing programs such as the Oaklanders Assistance Center , Citizens of Oakland Responding to Emergencies (CORE Program), part of the Abandoned Auto Division, and part of the Litter Enforcement Program will be combined into the new Community Outreach Program.
 
This proposal could save the City a million dollars a year.
 
Fairness
 
In a financial crisis no department or program should be exempt from cuts. I am proposing cuts in every department. Even our Senior Centers, which I have championed and believe are essential, will suffer reduced hours from this proposal.
 
Also, certain areas of the City have been exempt from parking meters because of Council initiatives. As a result there are areas of the City that have very few meters. No part of the City should be exempt from having parking meters and I am proposing an additional 500 meters be installed.
 
Leadership
 
I strongly believe that the City’s elected officials – the Mayor, the City Council, the City Attorney and the City Auditor – must make significant reductions in their own offices if we expect sacrifices from other departments within the City. In my proposal I ask for a 25% cut to all elected offices.
 
City Administration
 
I believe that we should fight to preserve front-line staff who deliver core services to the community – including police officers, librarians, and recreation leaders. In order to accomplish this, I believe that the City must make do with less administration. I propose a 15% cut to City Administration.
 
The Arts
 
While I believe that the arts are an essential part of Oakland’s uniqueness as well as an important driver of our economy, I propose a 25% cut to the City’s Arts Grants Program, knowing that some artists will be eligible for funding through the recently passed transient occupancy tax measure.
 
Eliminating Redundancy
 
I believe that while some services are essential, the City may not be the best or only agency to deliver those services. I propose eliminating the Adult Literacy program in the Library because there are other programs delivering adult literacy services.
 
Summary:
 
I have proposed $20 million in specific cuts, which equals approximately 2/3 of the cuts that are needed.  I have also proposed places where the City might be able to find the other 1/3 of the needed cuts.
 
This proposal is a first step toward closing the budget deficit in Oakland by cutting the budgets of all elected officials, City administration, and City programs. I am making this proposal, because I believe that unless all of City Government tightens its belt, we cannot ask our employees who put their lives on the line to do so as well. I am hopeful they will also help us with this budget crisis.
 
 
Yours,
 
Jane Brunner
Oakland City Council President

Budget Matrix Brunner Follow Oakland Local's budget coverage right here.