–OAKLAND– Regular council meeting, Tuesday, May 15, 5:30 p.m. [ENTIRE AGENDA HERE] –A’S COLISEUM ENA– The Oakland City Council is about to move on Mayor Libby Schaaf‘s pledge last month for the city to enter into an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement with the… Read More ›
recession
With Bitcoin booming, Bryan Parker’s idea of using it to uplift Oakland isn’t looking so crazy
Former Oakland mayoral candidate Bryan Parker says the city missed an opportunity with Bitcoin for reason greater than finances. OAKLANDAs Oakland voters headed to the polls during the November 2014 mayoral election, the cost of a single Bitcoin was roughly… Read More ›
Steve Glazer’s pension bill that unions say is a ‘disaster waiting to happen’ fails in committee
State Sen. Steve Glazer said SB 1149 is not intended to fix the pension crisis, but not make it any worse. 7TH STATE SENATE DISTRICTA bill that gives new state workers a choice between the standard defined benefit pension plan… Read More ›
With Raiders departure, Oakland once again sticks it to ‘The Man’
The NFL announced approval Monday for the Raiders relocation to Las Vegas. The team is scheduled to play in Oakland through 2018. OAKLANDRaise a banner from the rafters at Oakland City Hall! By refusing to acquiesce to the threats of… Read More ›
Alameda County scores highest possible credit ratings
ALAMEDA COUNTY | Global credit rating behemoths Fitch Ratings and Moody’s Investors Service boosted Alameda County to the highest possible municipal bond score Monday. Fitch upgraded Alameda County to “AAA,” while Moody’s posted an “Aaa” rating. Alameda County’s consistent operating… Read More ›
Hayward destroyed a famous indicator of seismic activity, now we’re all going to die
The corner of Prospect and Rose in Hayward. PHOTO/Oakland Geology HAYWARD | Like many East Bay cities, Hayward has many streets and sidewalks in need of repair. However, Hayward’s city government found the one road improvement project that it may… Read More ›
Hayward city manager announces retirement
Hayward City Manager Fran David HAYWARD | Hayward City Manager Fran David announced her retirement Friday, effective sometime in the fall. David has served as head of the city’s day-to-day operation since being appointed to the position in 2010. Her… Read More ›
Oakland sues Wells Fargo for damages from discriminatory lending practices
Oakland City Attorney Barbara Parker PHOTO/Shane Bond OAKLAND | The city of Oakland has filed a federal lawsuit against financial institution Wells Fargo alleging its lending practices were predatory and discriminatory. The lawsuit filed by Oakland City Attorney Barbara Parker… Read More ›
No longer a reason for East Bay pols to fear pension-buster Daniel Borenstein; he was wrong, you were right
BANG editorial writer Daniel Borenstein led the pension reform debate for years, but it failed to scare East Bay officials to join his calls for austerity. Prola: ‘I don’t respect him. I don’t respect his paper’ By Darwin BondGraham and Steven TavaresPENSION… Read More ›
Cassidy is no longer mayor, but he isn’t leaving San Leandro politics
Stephen Cassidy: Out of power, but not out of things to say. SAN LEANDRO | Stephen Cassidy left the mayor’s office in San Leandro after just one term. There was no specific public reason for why he left thousands of… Read More ›
San Leandro Places 30-Year Sales Tax Extension on November Ballot
SAN LEANDRO CITY COUNCIL | Nearly four years after voters in San Leandro approved a much-needed sales tax measure viewed by many to have helped the city escape the worst of the Great Recession, city leaders will again ask them… Read More ›
Joe Lacob: A Sterling Example of the Rich Stealing from the Poor in Alameda County
The amount of outstanding debt Warriors owner Joe Lacob owes Alameda County is almost the same as its fiscal budget shortfall. ALAMEDA COUNTY | BUDGET | Starting next week, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors will begin deliberations on a… Read More ›
Wieckowski’s Campaign Thinks Andrew Breitbart is Alive
Bob Wieckowski, Peter Kuo STATE SENATE | 10TH DISTRICT | A day after Assemblymember Bob Wieckowski cruised to an eight-point win in the June primary, his campaign was already picking a fight with his November opponent, Peter Kuo, while erroneously… Read More ›
Hayashi on State Pensions: ‘There is no Problem’; Faults Banks for Budget Mess
Former Assemblymember Mary Hayashi speaking at a candidate’s forum for the 10th State Senate District Wednesday evening at the Fremont City Council chambers. PHOTO/Steve Tavares STATE SENATE | 10TH DISTRICT | State Senate candidate Mary Hayashi said talk of California’s… Read More ›
Hayward Budget Report Tamps Down Exuberance After $4.8M in New Revenue
HAYWARD CITY COUNCIL | Hayward is forecasting a significant bump in revenue in a mid-year budget adjustment report to be presented to the City Council this Tuesday. On the heels of increased real estate activity in Hayward, the city’s finance… Read More ›
Cassidy Pads Resume with Falsehoods when Truth is more Compelling
CAMPAIGN 2014 | SAN LEANDRO | Politicians take credit for things. It’s a fact of life that becomes amplified during campaign season. So, it’s no surprise San Leandro Mayor Stephen Cassidy is pumping up his resume over the last four… Read More ›
Guillen Showing Strong Interest in Oakland’s District 2 Seat
Abel Guillen ELECTION 2014 | OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL | Peralta Community College District Trustee Abel Guillen may add his name to the list of candidates considering a run for the Oakland City Council District 2 seat being vacated by Council… Read More ›
Corbett Calls for Investigation into Fannie Mae Illegally Taking Fees for Short Sales
STATE SENATE | Fannie Mae may have illegally received borrower’s contributions to short sales in violation of a California state law authored by State Sen. Ellen Corbett. In a letter sent Tuesday by Corbett and Santa Rose State Sen. Noreen… Read More ›
Richmond May Ask Voters To Significantly Increase Minimum Wage
RICHMOND | MINIMUM WAGE | An Oakland mayoral candidate has an idea to raise the city’s minimum wage to $15. The Richmond City Council is way ahead on that front. On Tuesday, it will discuss a resolution potentially giving voters… Read More ›
Middle-Aged White Males: Homeless and Nowhere to Go
SAN LEANDRO | HOMELESSNESS | Rose Padilla Johnson, the executive director of San Leandro’s Davis Street Family Resource Center, says there may be over 500 people in the city lacking suitable shelter. The typical profile of the homeless is San… Read More ›
Richmond’s Foreclosure Plan Yet Another Cry For Help At The Local Level
Richmond Mayor Gayle McLaughlin is just the latest voice in the East Bay railing against government inaction over the past five years. LEGISLATURE/FEDERAL GOVT | Those in high finance decry the gambit being employed by Richmond Mayor Gayle McLaughlin as underhanded…. Read More ›
Kaplan Calls On Congress To Restore Head Start Funding
Rebecca Kaplan OAKLAND | Calling on the feds to intervene on the local level is nothing new for Oakland Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan. In the past, for instance, she has excoriated the federal government for looking askance while financial institutions like… Read More ›
Oakland Begins Investigation Of Goldman Sachs For Rate Swap Deal
OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL//GOLDMAN SACHS | Debarring Goldman Sachs would be huge news. However, Oakland’s bill to prove their culpability is also quite large. Last week, the Oakland City Council approved a $226,000 budget to hire an outside consultant to investigate… Read More ›
Alameda County Closes $80 Million Deficit With Extra Leftover For Employees
ALAMEDA COUNTY//BUDGET | A proposal to close an $80 million budget shortfall in Alameda County includes cuts to the safety net and one-time only savings from previous budget years. County employee will also receive a cost-of-living increase for the first… Read More ›
Goldman Sachs Debarment Heads Back To Oakland Council, But Not Without Added Confusion
OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL | A draft ordinance that could lead to the debarment of Goldman Sachs from bidding on city contracts is heading back to the City Council with amendments, but not before another round of confusion fostered by the… Read More ›
Despite Council Support, Debarment Of Goldman Sachs Is Gummed Up
Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein says he won’t let Oakland out of its rate swap deal. OAKLAND//DEBARMENT | During the Great Recession, some financial institutions were deemed “too big to fail,” but as Oakland faces numerous fits and starts in moving… Read More ›
ALAMEDA COUNTY SEES BUDGET FUNDING GAP FALL TO $80 MILLION
ALAMEDA COUNTY//BUDGET | The East Bay’s local economy is moving further from the worst of the Great Recession and closer to better times—except, only slightly. Last week, the Alameda County administrator’s office announced a $80.2 million funding gap that follows four… Read More ›
Alameda County To Face Another Year Of Budget Cuts
ALCO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS | Alameda County has been forced to grapple with large budget funding gaps for the past four years. A fifth appears to be on the horizon.“There will be a gap, but we’re still determining what that is,” says Kai Mander,… Read More ›
Budget Issues In San Leandro Stymie Implementation Of Climate Action Plan
CO2 levels in San Leandro have dropped by 8.2 percent since 2009. SAN LEANDRO | The city’s three-year-old climate action plan may not reach its goal of reducing emissions in San Leandro before its 2020 target date following years of tight… Read More ›
Mayor To Hayward: With Better Schools, Your Home Could Be Worth $100k More!
HAYWARD | Hayward Mayor Michael Sweeney says the city is going nowhere fast unless it improves its consistently flagging schools. “We’re at the bottom,” said Sweeney, while pointing to a chart before residents Wednesday at a neighborhood state of the… Read More ›