The Oakland City Council put bureaucratic pen to paper on a $4.2 billion budget Wednesday for fiscal years 2025-2027, closing a $265 million deficit with a plan that keeps the city's essential services running without luxury expenditures. With a sense of urgency previously uncharacteristic of the council, the budget was passed well before the deadline, a move signaled as a prudent step away from financial peril.
The new budget features a modest increase in law enforcement, funding 678 police officers. It also supports public safety initiatives with financial commitments that include $1.4 million for sideshow prevention and over $1 million for combating illegal dumping through the use of drones and cameras, as reported by The Oaklandside. Fire services also get a nod, with funding for fire academies every fiscal year and assurance that all 25 firehouses remain open.
Economic development is also a focal point, with the budget earmarking $3 million for a business incentives program, more than $2 million for community safety ambassadors, and entertainment activation zones. These allocations stimulate Oakland's local economy, hoping to keep the city's fiscal wheels turning.
However, not everyone is happy with the strip-down method. The elimination of the cultural affairs manager position peeled back layers of discontent from the arts community, lamenting a perceived disregard for the cultural tapestry of Oakland. "You have $1.4 million for sideshow [enforcement] — what about the organizations that put on real performances?" queried Oakland Ballet Artistic Director Graham Lustig, in a sentiment echoed by fellow artists and cultural leaders with statements acquired by The Oaklandside. This decoupling from the cultural affairs manager significantly reduced the city's investment in arts, a point of contention that reflects the complexity of budget allocations.
Housing programs also face scrutiny, with some council members questioning investments like the $1 million earmarked for the city's Homelessness Prevention Pilot. This program, which provides rental assistance and social services, is aimed at staving off the tide of homelessness in Oakland. After learning that the majority of those served through the pilot were Black men, a demographic significantly represented in Oakland's homeless population, Councilmember Ken Houston shifted his stance, resulting in a vote for the budget, as described by The Oaklandside.
Despite the austerity, the budget includes some potential fiscal lifelines, such as anticipated revenue from a $40 million parcel tax and a $2.3 million billboard contract yet to be approved. The city also expects to raise an additional $1.7 million from previously uncollected business taxes. As noted by the City of Oakland's news release, the balanced approach aims to lay a "roadmap to fiscal health," charting the course for a more financially stable future.
