Oakland Report

Home
Podcast
Analysis
Perspectives
Oakland Budget
Donate
Archive
About

Analysis

Oakland's city employee counts show a dramatic shift in service priorities over five years
Public safety staff declined by 206 employees (-12%), and other departments added 336 employees (+13%). Police are slated to bear the majority of…
 • 
Tim Gardner
19
We can balance Oakland’s budget without selling the future
Seven actions could save the city $200M per year without wage cuts, pension cuts, selling city assets, or gutting public safety
 • 
Tim Gardner
26
Podcast: Oakland's Pension Debt Problem
A 12-minute conversation explaining Oakland's pension debt issue, and what it means for the City it's residents
 • 
Oakland Report
2
12:31
Most ballot measure questions in Alameda County are biased
A volunteer body composed of former Alameda County Grand Jurors started a new rating system to help voters understand which ones are misleading
 • 
Tim Gardner
11
Oakland paid $450M in 2023 for pension costs and above-inflation wage increases
The city paid more than $130M in interest alone on its pension debt—far more than its $100M annual deficit, which it just sold the Coliseum to pay. It…
 • 
Tim Gardner
21
Oakland employee compensation grew 2.5 times faster than inflation, far outpacing other cities
Since 2013, Oakland grew employee compensation by $411M. That’s $184M more than needed to keep pace with inflation. It far exceeds raises of other…
 • 
Michael Ubell
 and 
Tim Gardner
32
Oakland 2024 crime trends are mixed, but CHP efforts are delivering significant impact
Compared to 2023, homicides and firearm assaults are down 10-20%, but residential robberies have doubled. For other crimes, the data is still unclear.
 • 
Tim Gardner
5
Oakland’s 2024-2025 budget squanders the city’s future
The City delays dealing with its ongoing deficit; instead it aims to pay its bills by selling $105M of public assets and diverting restricted funds from…
 • 
Tim Gardner
14
Oakland’s looming spending cuts
While City officials have spent the past months focused on business license taxes, scant attention has been paid to the impacts of unavoidable spending…
 • 
Tim Gardner
14
The misrepresentation of Oakland crime data
City Administration used flawed data comparisons to claim that total crime has dropped in 2024
 • 
Tim Gardner
9
The Pamela Price recall petition was certified—what happens now?
The recall election will likely occur on November 5, 2024. If Price is removed, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors will appoint a replacement to…
 • 
Tim Gardner
6
Oakland faces an unprecedented financial crisis that was years in the making
Expanded social services, growing City bureaucracy, and falling revenues have created a $145M (16%) annual operating deficit
 • 
Tim Gardner
 and 
Loren Taylor
8
© 2024 Oakland Report
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start WritingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture