I supported Barbara. Lee as my representative, but I will not vote for her as mayor. Her reliance on “I know people in high places” reminded me of Elihu Harris and Rom Thompson. Both gentlemen served their constituents on the bigger playing field but were unsuccessful as Oakland’s mayors. Loran Taylor is an intelligent man dedicated to the City of Oakland and I wholeheartedly believe Oakland requires a leader of his caliber and energy.
I voted for Barbara Lee as a legislator. I will be voting for Loren Taylor for mayor as my 1st choice and Jerry Brown for #2. Loren Taylor's take on our city as broken is objective and accurate. Specific fixes are urgently needed. Lee's assertion that we are in "crisis" and divided by warring factions is just plain wrong and shows that her perspective is from about 3000 miles away in DC.
ALL Oakland residents are UNITED in our perception that we are broken when: (1) our mayor is investigated by the FBI for fraud and corruption, is indicted, and after reading the indictment and related evidence it seems accurate;(2) reliable investigative journalists tie Oakland City Council members to a recycling company which was indicted along with the mayor, and report that council members Kaplan and Thao authorized a $3 million settlement payment to the later indicted recycling company - when the city attorney recommended $50k, and the same council members took significant (and often illegal) donations from the recycling company and its sole owners; (3) there is no neighborhood that is safe from smash and grabs, people are rightly afraid to shop or work in Oakland and it is literally killing our businesses; and (4) Police officers working OT are getting paid more than the president of the U.S. (likely well deserved - but we need to manage the department better); and (4) on a personal note, our car was stolen on July 4, 2024, and we could not report it stolen because the Oakland Police Department was closed - doors locked - no one home. Preach Loren.
I havent seen an itemized list of these funds that were channeled to Oakland because of Barbara Lee.
For me, Loren is the clear choice for Oakland at its most critical point. He will make the necessary cuts. This is what we need because Oaklanders have voted for additional taxes over a decade (Measure Y, Measure Z, etc...) and yet, the return on our taxes kept getting worse.
One example is MACRO which the Oakland Report has done research on - MACRO is expensive and underperforming on a per dollar basis and Barbara wants to expand this??
And Barbara wants guaranteed income for the homeless??
One will win, but neither will make a difference due to their lack of ferocity or executive experience in balancing a budget in the real world of running a business. Lee's idea of revenue is taxes. Until the city goes bankrupt and union salaries and pensions are clipped, oakland will not turn the corner. As a resident, business owner and homeowner/landlord of 20+ years here, it's obvious only suckers will fall for their words.
I want someone who wants to rid us of the hundred+ million $ each year paying interest on pension debt, manage city infrastructure and roads better and let citizens do the rest by leaving them alone. I definitely don't want oakland government to solve people's own issues.
I supported Barbara. Lee as my representative, but I will not vote for her as mayor. Her reliance on “I know people in high places” reminded me of Elihu Harris and Rom Thompson. Both gentlemen served their constituents on the bigger playing field but were unsuccessful as Oakland’s mayors. Loran Taylor is an intelligent man dedicated to the City of Oakland and I wholeheartedly believe Oakland requires a leader of his caliber and energy.
I voted for Barbara Lee as a legislator. I will be voting for Loren Taylor for mayor as my 1st choice and Jerry Brown for #2. Loren Taylor's take on our city as broken is objective and accurate. Specific fixes are urgently needed. Lee's assertion that we are in "crisis" and divided by warring factions is just plain wrong and shows that her perspective is from about 3000 miles away in DC.
ALL Oakland residents are UNITED in our perception that we are broken when: (1) our mayor is investigated by the FBI for fraud and corruption, is indicted, and after reading the indictment and related evidence it seems accurate;(2) reliable investigative journalists tie Oakland City Council members to a recycling company which was indicted along with the mayor, and report that council members Kaplan and Thao authorized a $3 million settlement payment to the later indicted recycling company - when the city attorney recommended $50k, and the same council members took significant (and often illegal) donations from the recycling company and its sole owners; (3) there is no neighborhood that is safe from smash and grabs, people are rightly afraid to shop or work in Oakland and it is literally killing our businesses; and (4) Police officers working OT are getting paid more than the president of the U.S. (likely well deserved - but we need to manage the department better); and (4) on a personal note, our car was stolen on July 4, 2024, and we could not report it stolen because the Oakland Police Department was closed - doors locked - no one home. Preach Loren.
Fair reporting. Any thoughtful reading reinforces the understanding that Taylor, despite his weaknesses, is the only choice.
"...billions of dollars for our city..."
I havent seen an itemized list of these funds that were channeled to Oakland because of Barbara Lee.
For me, Loren is the clear choice for Oakland at its most critical point. He will make the necessary cuts. This is what we need because Oaklanders have voted for additional taxes over a decade (Measure Y, Measure Z, etc...) and yet, the return on our taxes kept getting worse.
One example is MACRO which the Oakland Report has done research on - MACRO is expensive and underperforming on a per dollar basis and Barbara wants to expand this??
And Barbara wants guaranteed income for the homeless??
Thanks for linking to the debate recording.
One will win, but neither will make a difference due to their lack of ferocity or executive experience in balancing a budget in the real world of running a business. Lee's idea of revenue is taxes. Until the city goes bankrupt and union salaries and pensions are clipped, oakland will not turn the corner. As a resident, business owner and homeowner/landlord of 20+ years here, it's obvious only suckers will fall for their words.
I want someone who wants to rid us of the hundred+ million $ each year paying interest on pension debt, manage city infrastructure and roads better and let citizens do the rest by leaving them alone. I definitely don't want oakland government to solve people's own issues.