Budget

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…

Dec 17 •

PODCAST: Oakland leaders perpetuate misinformation to justify public safety cuts

Oakland's council, city administration, and labor leadership are locked in a game of misinformation to advance their narrow interests. It may result in…

Dec 1 •

9:08

Oakland leaders perpetuate misinformation to justify public safety cuts

Oakland's council, city administration, and labor leadership are locked in a game of misinformation to advance their narrow interests. It may result in…

Nov 30 •

“If we do not change course, we will be roughly $115 million negative. We have already breached into our emergency reserve.”

Transcript of Budget Administrator Bradley Johnson’s remarks at Oakland City Council

Nov 20 •

12:38

PODCAST: 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

Oct 20 •

7:46

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

Oct 13 •

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

Oct 6 •

12:31

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…

Sep 10 •

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…

Jul 9 •

and

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…

Jun 18 •

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…

May 17 •

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

Apr 4 •

and

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