OAKLAND/June 22, 5 p.m.
City Council presents its own budget; housing report

MCELHNAEY BUDGET PROPOSAL Council President Lynette Gibson McElhaney’s budget proposal released June 19 adds to the mayor’s plan focusing on public safety, jobs and infrastructure. Within the council proposal is an additional focus on the youth and seniors, along with equity and diversity. “The amendments offered here refine the Mayor’s proposals to reflect what I believe are priorities and values expressed by members of the Council over many months of public discourse,” said McElhaney. Among the highlights: $350,000 for re-entry Job Corps; maintaining funding for day laborer centers; $150,000 to help enforce the city’s new $12.25 an hour minimum wage ordinance; expanded hours for Oakland Public Library; unfreeze three positions for abatement of illegal dumping and litter.

BROOKS TRIES AGAIN Councilmember Desley Brooks’ plan to create a Department of Race and Equity began in February and its path through Oakland government has surely been circuitous. Brooks’ plan is back on the council agenda Monday night after she indicated the new council budget proposal also submitted tonight gives the proposed department short shrift when it comes to funding. Mayor Libby Schaaf’s budget proposal included $150,000 toward elements of Brooks’ plan and Council President McElhaney’s proposal bumps it to $500,000. Both amounts are far less than what Brooks asked for. So, here’s the upshot: Can Brooks muster the same type of togetherness for her plan that she exhibited in pushing through the controversial Lake Merritt luxury tower sale last week after it seemed fated for defeat?

OAKLAND/June 23, 9:30 a.m.
HOUSING REPORT Oakland’s housing market continues to be hot. A report Tuesday in the Community and Economic Development Committee shows median home prices in Oakland rose 17 percent in April to $507,750. Median rental price, though, have also skyrocketed by 22 percent over one year ago to $2,200 a month, but flat since last December, says the report. There were 160 notices of default through the first quarter of 2015, which is down from 193 during the same period last year. During the same committee hearing, Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan will offer a resolution supporting affordable housing developers.

ALAMEDA COUNTY/June 23, 9:30 a.m.
After closing $80 mil shortfall, county budget adoption on Friday

BUDGETPALOOZA Alameda County’s $2.3 billion budget rightfully gets much attention from the Board of Supervisors. Four budget hearings are scheduled for this week alone following months of analysis and deliberation. Hearings are scheduled for Monday (11 a.m.), Tuesday (2 p.m.) and Wednesday (1 p.m.) with the likely adoption of the budget that includes $80 million in cuts, coming on Friday (11 a.m.).

HAGGERTYBALL Board President Scott Haggerty will read a commendation Tuesday honoring the Golden State Warriors on their NBA championship. Haggerty also presented the team with a commendation earlier this month for winning the Western Conference title. However, Haggerty’s speech last Friday at the victory parade in Oakland didn’t go so well with many pundits who criticized him for its length and fans who tried to drown out his remarks by chanting Warriors!.

HAYWARD/June 23, 7 p.m.
City manager gets a small raise; budget approval

CONTRACT RENEWALS City Manager Fran David was widely derided for telling the Bay Area News Group she felt underpaid at a time when the City Council led by her urging imposed wage cuts on city employees. Now David, along with City Attorney Michael Lawson, are receiving one-year contract renewals. After a tentative agreement with city employees in the can, David still won’t receive a raise. Her salary stays at $222,642 a year. The same goes for the city attorney. Lawson will continue to earn an annual salary of $185,103, according to a staff report.

WELCOME TO THE 21ST CENTURY Say goodbye to downloading the entire 400-page agenda packet just to read one city staff report. Hayward has one of the most outdated municipal Websites in the entire Bay Area. Perusing government information is onerous on the Hayward site and watching video of meetings can be an adventure. Granicus, the meeting and information management company that is used by nearly every local government in the area is coming to Hayward. The City Council will approve a $129,000 contract with the company Tuesday night.

ALAMEDA/June 24, 7 p.m.
Search firm seeks public preference for next city manager

CITY MANAGER SEARCH Technically, this is not a council meeting, but a town hall for the public to voice the attributes they desire in the search for a new city manager to replace John Russo, who left Alameda in May for the same job in Riverside, Calif. The special meeting is required since a majority of the council will likely attend the town hall, but the regular business of the City Council will not be conducted Wednesday evening.

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