Public safety is one of the top concerns for people in Oakland and is at the center of the city budget battle.
The Oakland City Council met Tuesday night to try to finalize next year’s budget, made even more difficult by the fact that the city is facing a $95 million shortfall in general fund funds.
Chris Moore has lived in Piedmont for more than 20 years and said there should be no cuts to police and fire services.
“We have to fund our public safety. We can’t cut our public safety, and yes, that may impact other services, but what’s the most important thing in this community? The most important thing is public safety,” Moore said.
He said this is because the city cannot afford to lose any more residents or businesses.
“The revenue problem is you’ve chased all the businesses out of town, you’ve chased tenants out of town,” he said.
“If the people of Oakland were to get the services they deserve, it would cost a lot more money than the city is currently spending,” said Dan Lindheim.
He is a professor of public policy at UC Berkeley and served as Oakland’s city manager from 2008 to 2011.
He said police and fire budgets are so large that if there is a significant shortfall, the city will have to make cuts in those areas.
“If you’re not going to cut police and fire, which is 2/3 of the general fund, then you have to cut absolutely everything else. fire,” Lindheim said.
Oakland Councilman Noel Gallo disagrees, saying public safety is his first priority.
“Even if I have to change other services, I have to do that. I have to protect the children and families,” Gallo said.
According to the city charter, the City Council has until June 30 to approve a balanced budget.
According to the mayor’s office, the cuts to police and fire only freeze vacant positions, not eliminate them. That means the City Council could vote at a later date to reauthorize hiring for these positions if more money becomes available.
