The Oakland City Council is considering ways to close a $28 million-dollar-a-year budget gap as it faces the loss of redevelopment funds Feb. 1.
The meeting was halted for a half-hour when Occupy Oakland protesters stormed the chambers and shouted at councilmembers. But the proceedings got heated even before that, as many city employees vented their frustration and demanded the council delay layoffs.
The mayor’s budget-balancing proposal includes cutting 105 full-time positions. Since some of those jobs are vacant, only about 81 employees would lose their jobs under the plan. The proposal also includes slashing funding by 40% for certain arts programs, for Children’s Fairyland, and for the Oakland Zoo, as well as reorganizing certain departments. The proposal leaves funding for libraries, senior services, and sworn police officers intact.
Dwight McElroy, president of SEIU local 1021, asked the council to work harder to involve the community and the unions.
“We’ve been there to support you in the past, that’s why your reserves are up. So now we’re asking you to support us,” McElroy said. “We want to work with you, we’ve already shown you that. At the end of the day, we bless you and we hope God blesses you, but bring us on board so we can help you steer this ship and get it out of the waters it’s in.”