Prop AA… Institutional Theft of an Election

CH_Oak MGLaRosa

The Official Arguments Against AA

This is one of the largest parcel tax proposals in Oakland’s history.

It was put on the ballot without community input and without a plan on how to spend the $30,000,000 a year the measure would generate. Lost in the details of the measure is the fact that the money can be used to fund the growing bureaucracy of the city.

We share the wonderful goals of this 15-page ballot measure. Unfortunately, we don’t see any realistic steps to reaching them. “Give us the money and we’ll figure out how to do it” is not acceptable.

Who controls the estimated $30 million annually? New, unnamed city employees. But nothing in this measure holds public employees accountable for all this money! A “Citizens’ Oversight Commission” is created, but its members would be handpicked by city bureaucrats.

The “Oakland Promise Fund” is full of promises to “increase early college awareness and expectations” and fincrease college persistence and graduation rates.” How? What exactly is the plan? There is no plan. Over and over we’ve seen similar taxes raising money with good intentions but without clear programs. Local organizations are promised funding and taxpayers get the bill.

While we share Mayor Libby Schaaf’s commitment to address persistent problems with the Oakland schools, this initiative is deeply flawed. Our children deserve better! This measure will last 30 years, long past the term of this Mayor.

Oakland children, born today will be over 30 before this tax expires.

Rather than work with the Council or the School District to prioritize funding for Oakland’s children, Schaaf is passing the buck to homeowners without a realistic plan.

Despite the feel good language, this ‘Initiative’ is nothing but another thinly disguised attempt to raise more moneyfor programs that sound good but yield little results.

–Official Argument against this Tax

-But an Appeals Court Allowed it. Mind You, A California Appeals Court. Beware of any Tax initiatives in California.

This Needs to be Argued on a Federal Level. Fairness in Elections. Changing Election Rules, After The Fact? Beware of ANY Tax Initiatives in Oakland.

With the “stacking” of RCV, You have to wonder. Is any Oakland Election Fair?

-Think Oakland

Lawful But Awful : Rashad Brooks

“Many times, “we see behaviors that are lawful but awful.”-
Paul D Henderson. Former US Attorney

… In the narratives I have been reading because of this. Members of Administrations of Cities, and Law enforcement view these casualties with a saying… “Lawful but Awful”. In Tex, If You are sleeping in a Car. They Don’t spend Time talking if you are sleeping in drive thru, Darrin McFadden. In CA… It is the Wild Wild West. 2-8-2020, Willie NcCoy Fell asleep at Vallejo Taco Bell. All Occurred this Year.

Friday Night In Atlanta, The Hand to Hand Training of 2 Grown Adult Cops is Pathetic. They must know how to handle themselves better… Their inabilities creates the Fear, making their Gun the only Tool when their fear is realized. Too many in Law Enforcement become Police Officers for the Pay & Benefits, when clearly they don’t have the right “stuff” to be on the Street in the first place. “AWFUL = Justice / The Community is NOT served”. If LEO expects a Pass here in Atlanta… They have to fully argue why a Taser is considered a Lethal Weapon”. Accountability… Take “Qualified Immunity” off the Table for Law Enforcement. I guarantee the most Fascist Cop will think 50+ times before they violate Laws. knowing their Pension is at stake.

If it is “Lawful but Awful”, Then There is only Fascist Justice.

On Rashad Brooks’ death, former prosecutor Paul Butler says, “The cop says after he shot Mr. Brooks, ‘I got him.’ Like he was playing a video game.”  

  SMH, It is MADD that a Man falls asleep drunk, in a drive thru… Is then shot to Death for the Protection of the Public? There must be a better way.

-Think Oakland

Black Lives Matter, We need to Look at 07-17-2010, 8:20am, 1600 Block 33rd Avenue. Fred Collins.

If Firing Chief Creates a “Silly Council”

Hmmm, The person that has Chaired Public Safety Committee.,  Co Written the Legislation that gave the Oakland Police Commission the Right to Fire the Police Chief, “Without Cause”… Has been the Public Safety Committee Chair for 7.5 Years. >6 Police Chiefs… KAOS allows all this NONSENSE. Lack of Leadership. Gallo claims indifference,   “But I am not responsible, “I didn’t know”…Blindsided…”   The Mayor, ” I followed the Commission wishes?. IF Libby Schaff, did not want Chief Gone… She would not be gone. i.e. When does this City Government follow the Public’s Desires. Public Demands Riders into Oakland’s Past… This City Challenges a Federal Judge, as this Council rewrites the Election Policy on their fly. as was done for AA. The same Illegal AA that is now sucking Oakland Public Tax Dollars. This Councilman calls His Dominated City Council”, The “Silly Council”.

With all of that, Who then would be it’s, “Court Jester”?.

Mr Gallo, This is serious lack of respect to the people of Oakland. We didn’t need Rhetoric, just what seems to be lacking. More “Washing of Hands”, By You and Mayor… Plausible Deniability, as to Chief’s Firing. No Leadership. Back track on reforms.  Pot calls this Kettle Black as this “Silly Council” Turns. Was Ms Hollyfeld, Mr Lee, & Ms Rendon Impressed with Your rhetoric? You Mr Gallo ARE DIRECTLY responsible for these excess $$$ spent, and Failure to meet reforms. Then You want us to pass another Initiative? It is disingenuous or Incompetence to criticize any of these Results. It’s another Sad for Oakland. Best of Luck Chief Kirkpatrick, Honestly for the Silly Council, You are Today’s scapegoat…

– Think Oakland

Raiders Already More Successful in New  Home City.

     How long will it Last?

The Sun is Rising on the Las Vegas Raiders…

Oakland Settled Raiders Lawsuit 20.12.2005, after $33M loss to Raiders in Sacramento Courtroom.

 

What I think It all means…

1. Al Davis, Amy Trask, and the Raiders Attorneys Guaranteed the Terms of the Teams Departure if they were dissatisfied of the OACC.

City receives Practice Facility as FINAL Payment. It IS that simple. Read Master Agreement, & Article 2 of Master Agreement, The Settlement agreement Of Oakland’s Lawsuit against Raiders in 1997(File 05-0998). The Raiders Filed a Counter suit. The Jury Found For Raiders in Amount of $33,000,000.00. awarded on the Fraud claim in Lawsuit. The Fraud Claim and monetary award was vacated on appeal, but the Settlement still is on the agreed matters that were mitigated. It was done on the premise of a new, future Stadium Deal being possible, but in no way mandatory.

3:43 PM 3rd Q Steelers @ Raiders Mens sec 108 – No matter how old… This is Unacceptable by the OACC.

 

View Report-5   

Data source above   Relinquished of Costs for Stadium Capital improvements. 

The 2005 Settlement appears to Relinquished Raiders of Ownership of Liability for the Stadium Improvements costs. Also ended was the $5M Yearly License fee payment by the Raiders.

  Relinquished of Paying Annual License Fee.

The Master Agreement States Operation Loan, $51,000,000.00 to Raiders is for 16 Years, “inter alia”, Which, by playing the 16 Years at OACC, the Raiders have thus fulfilled that part. The Final transaction is the relinquishing of the Alameda Practice Facility property.

****I wonder, what will happen if the City Won… I mean the $40M arbitration award, the JPA, City, County received from Warriors is being applied to pay down the public’s Debt, Right?

The Team has finished playing 24 Seasons At OACC. All Time Features, requirements have been Met By the Business.

Antitrust?   Not my call, but seems the principles were documented, and waived. There is the issue the “East Bay Entities”, extended Financing to 30 Year Bonds. This agreement is not as St Louis. The Rams contract mirrored Financing. 30 Yr Financial Agreement, 30 Year Lease Agreement to stay. The NFL wanted the Raiders to stay in Oakland. Poor Oakland Leadership amended the Contract as such in 2005. Failed current Oakland Leadership exposes City to Court Costs by NFL Attorneys. If City as San Diego has done, let Chargers Go. Oakland should be as Classy as San Diego. Since the Leadership is not, I intend to pay as much attention, I want to know more about Oakland back room Finances(The 30 Year Bonds, the public never agreed to). The NFL should keep these proceedings as PUBLIC as they can. I am not, nor will in future be an attorney. I have read, and applied common sense to these documents. Anti trust… That is for the Supreme Court. But it sure seems that the City waived all of that argument for themselves long ago on these pages, In the Settlement of 20.12.2005.

 

-Think Oakland

 

 

Oakland Vanguards : Obligations, Responsibilities with Oakland City Council going Forward on Derby… No Progress on Public Lands Policy Promise. Aspire to Handicap OUSD.

A Formal Request(Link To Follow)

                The three outgoing Oakland Council Members can do the City a Solid. Pass Good, Sound, and Fair Public Lands Policies, Before you Leave. Re examine Aspire, Stop Building “Workforce” Housing at Luxury Condo Prices, and call it affordable housing.

-Think Oakland

Oakland Homelessmess, in D5 It Is Hard for Me to Believe they, the homeless, are creating their own Fires.

   Does it make you wonder?

The Miller Library, The Ghost Ship… the Unwanted in D5. Be careful or they will burn you out. The Homeless are not as irresponsible as we are lead to believe. These are the fires of Redevelopment, and Earth Quake retrofit schedules.

The Village was so intertwined… Those that made homes there were Respectful of each other,  It was an “actor”. Pushing the City’s agenda… Not Homeless, nor Vagrant.

-Think Oakland

The Vanguards of Oakland ; Oakland’s Head Start Program, Lack of Over site: No Accountability. Excuse: Lack of”Permit”***ted Teachers.

    Well we were treated to the Annual 1Yr & 4 Month Later Meeting (The Special Educational Partnership Committee). Conclusion, as it is in cleaning the Streets. No workforce* to hire. The narrative stated was, “Somebody the City really wanted as Head start Teacher, was lost due to $2.00 per hour”. No one in City could cover.

$80.00 per week, $4,160.00 per Year? In the City that routinely builds “Affordable Housing” @ $1,000,000.00 per Unit… I would question why $5,000yr prevents us from getting the Best. An Administrative Choice, Seriously? Pay the $5K+. You are the Director.

 This is NOT a Success, “They get their Federal funding. Oakland’s Children receive?… Less than sub standard care approaching ZERO. One Really exceptional program , Headed by an US Appellate Court Judge,  receives $188,000.00 a Year. While Oakland’s Partner program Receives 1/3 of City of Oakland’s Funding. Notice their best Program… Concord. Total Oakland Funding approx $18,000,000.00 /yr.

-Think Oakland

* “The Village” residents have stated desire to clean streets.

 

***Permit for Child Care. Different from Teaching Credential. This does not get monitored at Partners. In fact the monitoring of Oakland’s Partners are not even covered at this meeting.

California State Requirement

**The City’s report       Note Slide 15.

 

 

2018 Raiders – Proving, Finally… You cannot go Back into your past, to find your Future.

As the tenure Of Gruden 2.0 Starts… NFL Football ends in Oakland. Another failure of the  BIG 3 “Hail Mary’s” to remake Team.

1. Art Shell, & Tom Walsh 2006 to return the Raiders to the ’80’s                    2-14
2. Gruden’s 2018 return to 1998  <Clear path to another double digit Loss Season>         Coach Gruden has chance to redeem himself by preventing this. This is not – negotiable, I AM calling out whether he can still coach. to get to 7-9, this Team needs to play at a high level every week, Raiders have to be 6-4. That conclusion with this “Train Wreck”, could be the only way 2018 is a progress Year.
3. Joe Bugel, The Players Choice 1997, Jeff George, Multiple “Groin Pulls”    4-12

 

Then Maybe Al’s Mistakes… Moving the Franchise Back in 1995.

As a Fan, I had always hoped for a Return… But in Retrospect, This is where Al Davis made the mistake of a Lifetime. Returning the Raiders to Oakland…  After the Rams had left for St Louis. He would have the LA Market to himself. What magic in Oakland, was lost in those first 3 seasons in Los Angeles. The Return to Glory… Has Yet to happen. I would believe, Again. knowing what We know, Had they remained in LA. They would have Newer Stadium, and Franchise stability. I never envisioned the return to be 24 Yrs of 5.o win avg Teams, and no Franchise Stability.

 

************** Problems with 2018

 

Amari Cooper showed up at Raiders Training Camp in 2017(Last Year)… Different. For whatever reason, It was clear he was not happy as Oakland Raider. On an important Thursday Night, he came to play. One Game to showcase his Talents, It is clearer this Year. He is completely unhappy his 5th Year Option was picked up. As a Season Ticket Holder for this Team. Mark Davis might be doing me a favor by moving his “Raiders” away.

What is it that Reggie saw in all the BIG contracts before winning a SuperBowl. If I was running this Team. Carr would be under Franchise for 1st Year… Maybe 2. Would never had accepted Donald Penn’s Holdout. Would have released at holdout. Khalil Mack would still be Raider on his 5th Year Contract.

On Gruden… A Good Coach would not waste a Year. Would have solved Cooper, Mack situations before Draft. Enthusiasm does not negate ‘Communication”. The Team would be Competetive+. Hoped for, One of The 3 most remarkable Turn Arounds were Jim Harbaugh’s 2011~13 49ers, and what Sean McVay has done with 2017~18 Rams. Rather, what we have in 2018 Raiders is a Mess.  Gruden’s lack of forethought coming into 2018, & Carr’s regression shows loss of Guru, and Coaching Skills. A total disappointment. The Mack issue should have been dealt with pre draft. No Leadership. ALL ON COACH… But in reality, Sorry Coach but you lost my loyalty on a Field in San Diego in Early 2003. This can be changed, But I don’t see vision at end of Tunnel. There were enough High Caliber Players on Roster you inherited, This “Train Wreck”, is on You Jon. IMHO Who would want to play here for you after this. Regardless of $$$’s?

In Al Davis’s Later Years… Players loved meeting him, even trying to resurrect fledgling  careers. What does the Team offer Today if I were a Player looking for a respective new Team… Reggie, Mark Davis, or Coach Gruden? Many of his Young Players grew up with announcer Gruden. Good Luck with signing Free Agents with how Team has handled it’s current group and / or Khalil Mack.

One other thing Al could do… Even in his later Years… He Still Understood how important speed is with Outside LB, secondary, and Offensive skill position players. Al Davis would NEVER have a team as slow of foot as is the 2018 Raiders…

Do Some Women Lie for Political Gains? YEP, When You SSUC, ANYTHING Goes for FUNDING. Failed Leadership

President Trump: "It's a very scary time for young men in America when you can be guilty of something you may not be guilty of. This is a very difficult time." pic.twitter.com/fmFziVMfzl

— MSNBC (@MSNBC) October 2, 2018

      Thank You President Trump, That Statement about how easy it is to villify a Man, just because you are a Woman  Example :

This Upper Administration Female employee of the Unity Council,
And I. She claimed I Assaulted her to OPD during this encounter,

 As a Employee of the Unity Council. A Head Start Non Profit. Oakland Police, questioned me for over 2 Hours. There is ZERO question to me, This was politically done by Noel Gallo’s Office in unison with Chris Iglesias’s office.

So… Do Women Lie for Political Gains? Yes, For Funding along with everything they feel entitled to. The Unity Council was created to help low income families. Understood, but Today’s woman is a total self serving contradiction. I am so happy not to be a Youth in this modern Day Politically Correct Climate.

After this event, God Help the poor Men who has a Family involved Here. It behooves the UC to ruin that Family to make it a Single Woman Home. For this particular Non-Profit, Funding increases for Single Mother Homes. The Unity Council, and places like this Separate Families. Using same methodology as above will get the Child quickly with the Mother. If Illegal Force Asylum, Give Benefits, Give Housing, Ect.

I was 16 when Roe V Wade was passed. It’s Fine as written. But has been used by courts in real Terms giving Control to The Mothers. That style of Police Prosecution was attempted here by these People to intimidate me, This type of leverage is the basis of Head Start as applied by the SSUC.

There will be more…. fruitvaleunity.com – The Nitty Gritty on SSUC Finances.

********Assata Olugbala on the Issues,  and the Unity Council.

Assata is an Great advocate. She is a counterpoint to this argument… As a Citizen of Oakland, I am in FULL AGREEMENT with her on these points.  I must write here that while Assata Olugbala is not a Trump Supporter. Truth is multi-partisan, It is Why we have Common Ground and Respect for each other.

The Brand is called Oakland, What does that stand for?*** ***Segregation based on Cultural Greed.

 

 

 

    Where is Oakland’s Necessary $350 Million Street Infrastructure Repair?

“Summer of Paving” Only Paving is $25Million… From State Carbon tax Funds.”The Affordable Housing Trust Fund”, giving $2,000,000.00 to Centro De La Raza. For what..? All Housing related enforcements,.. Or is it the Hispanic support in November. To represent Oakland underprivileged, Housing?… That is The Citizens of Oakland Streets Improvement Promise. International Blvd is Bus Rapid Transit Federal Grant… Hmmm, Getting Head Start Right… The Misuse of Funds by the Unity Council.

At The July 5th Council Meeting… The Derby Street Public Land Sale to Aspire Private School.

At the RARE(not Cancelled in 2018) Thursday July 5th Rules & Legislation Meeting…

 

 

Gene H on Point at the July 5th Meeting.

 

Oakland needs to listen to these Leaders. As…

The present Oakland Elected Leadership still lacks Transparancy… In it’s Blinding greed, is the influx of modern day segregation… Everybody has their place. The Future is Leveraged, The Sledgehammer living in those unwarranted costs, will come due in Future. Things like… Cannot sell Coliseum Parcel for $135,000,000.00, as < or about = to $214,000,000.00(Miley, 2015). Is due on that property. It is why Colony, Fortress… et, al could not make Stadium Deal. The only people that can afford to float that note are still doing it due to mismanagement. If I am wrong… It is Nate Miley that priced Alameda County’s half @ $107,000,000.00 in 2015. Oakland’s price of a Buyout of Alameda County’s 50%. And is listed to be on Oakland’s books thru 2036.

Paid Panacea Reports to  Self Serving Educators, patting themselves on their backs for turning $100,000,000.00 into Fifty million. Schools with an extra $475,000,000.00, 2012 BOND, ending. failing the majority of it’s Students… A Broken System, belie a Leveraged out, at cusp of disaster Financial Plan. As In, the impending bankruptcy at the next Financial Down turn, With this City approaching Financial Ruin. Housing is overpriced in Oakland, California,  Affordable Housing should not have costs approaching $1,000,000.00 per unit as it is at Fruitvale Village 2A  ,It’s will be here soon… There is only so much road to kick that can down.

The previous economic downturn was a warning. Today, Appears as It is the best of economic times, But as in a Tidal Wave, the longer in time-frame that the Bay empties. The Greater impending rumble of the crash is amplified.

With Mayor Schaff, It is another Children / Schools “Promise” on this November Ballot…. More Money for Central De La Raza, so much, now they get their own Plaza De La Raza? There is no  strong Local Media watching the “business” of the City of Oakland, No accountability… Just Well Funded Self Serving Studies by the new Socialist Agenda.

A Mayor who can claim losing NBA, & NFL Franchises as an insignificant Economic Loss, and makes for a stronger City?         SMH.

Libby Schaaf is not the solution in 2018.

Personally, I am going to vote for Pamela Price…

-Think Oakland