Mayor Dellums in the News

Shootout this Morning

2010-01-20T18:05:00.000-08:00

MAYOR RON DELLUMS: “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the California Highway Patrol officer who is said to remain in the hospital in critical condition. Every day our police officers put their lives on the line and we thank them for their dedication to this community and their willingness to protect and serve. As a city, we will continue to remain vigilant in our efforts to help prevent crime and violence, provide intervention services for the community, bolster enforcement, and further our efforts to bring lasting peace to our streets. My office will be in close contact with Chief Batts and leadership at the Police Department to ensure that justice is done.”

News Update: Mayor's Personal Travel

2010-01-19T15:25:00.000-08:00

• Mayor Dellums does not use city funds to pay for personal travel;

• His recent trip to Washington D.C. was a personal family matter and was therefore paid for from the mayor’s personal account.

Richmond Mayor Sends Letter to Editor to Chronicle Regarding Wealth Gap

2010-01-08T17:41:00.001-08:00

San Francisco Chronicle, Jan. 7, 2009

"Wrong-way race"

I commend Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums for declining to join nine California mayors in jumping on Education Secretary Arne Duncan's Race to the Top bandwagon ("Dellums ducks out of mayor's coalition," Chip Johnson, Jan. 5).

Parents and dedicated teachers in my community tell me that instead of excessive testing and ranking, which Race to the Top calls for, teachers need more support to create a positive learning community for all children, especially the most vulnerable.

Guidelines suggest replacing the entire staff of a struggling school. Cities like Richmond that are struggling with crime look for ways to give more support to our police officers. We would never consider simply replacing all of them.

In both education and crime, the root cause of gross income inequality (the most consistent indicator of social ills) must also be addressed. Dellums is right to call for federal policies to reduce the broad U.S. wealth gap.

If California applies for competitive Race to the Top funds, it might get around $50 per pupil. Another way to get that sum for sure would be to discontinue California's high school exit exam, which has been shown to be ineffective.

GAYLE McLAUGHLIN

Mayor of Richmond

Mayor's Office Partners with San Jose Sharks & Ice Center for Holiday Toy Drive

2009-12-14T17:53:00.000-08:00

December 14, 2009

OAKLAND – Mayor Ron Dellums’ office will partner with the San Jose Sharks to host a special Holiday Toy Drive event at the Oakland Ice Center Tuesday, December 15 at 3pm. Those who bring an appropriate toy to donate will receive free admission and skate rentals. San Jose Sharks player, Torrey Mitchell, will be present to sign autographs for the first 100 people to donate a new, unwrapped, non-violent toy.

Due to national economic hardships, the Mayor’s Holiday Toy Drive donations are down approximately 50 percent. Mayor Dellums strongly encourages the community to help support Oakland families this season.

“We have seen our nation grapple with the results of a severe national recession. When much has been beyond our control, we do have the ability to make a difference in a child’s life this holiday season. We need the community’s help to provide for our city’s neediest children who deserve to be overwhelmed with the spirit of holiday giving,” said Mayor Dellums. “We are grateful for this partnership with the San Jose Sharks and the Oakland Ice Center. I am confident that their efforts will help us warm the hearts of many more families this year.”

A Mayor’s Toy Drive donation barrel will be available in the Oakland Ice Center lobby, at 519 18th Street, throughout the holiday season for donations.

This year marks the 30th year the Mayor’s Holiday Toy Drive has provided toys for Oakland’s children in need. All financial donations are tax deductible and checks should be made payable to Mayor’s Community Toy Drive, 1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Oakland, 94612. You can drop off toys at these other locations: All Oakland Fire stations, City Hall, Oakland Police Headquarters, Oakland Police Eastmont Substation, Oakland Public Library, Chabot Space and Science Center, Oakland Zoo, Lions Center for the Blind, Port of Oakland, and Bench and Bar. For more information, please call the hotline at 777-TOYS.

WHERE: Oakland Ice Center
519 18th Street
Oakland, CA

WHEN: Tuesday, December 15, 2009
3pm to 5pm

###

Mayor's Corner

2009-09-28T14:24:00.000-07:00

(Updated for the week of September 28, 2009)

Mayor Dellums Welcomes Air Asia to the Oakland Airport: This Malaysia-based airline has chosen to brand the Oakland Raiders around the globe on its new Air Asia X aircraft. Mayor Dellums said the Oakland International Airport is quickly becoming the place to be with regards to the airline industry.

Dellums Applauds Local Hire Policy for the City: Mayor Dellums applauded the work of both the resident task forces and the City Council led task force for their work to achieve a policy, which requires the hiring of local residents on city funded projects.

Mayor Dellums Takes Fitness Walk with City Employees: On the day of “Open Enrollment” for city staff, Mayor Dellums promoted health and wellness and urged staff to take advantage of good health options.

Mayor Invites Residents to a Financial Planning Clinic: On Saturday, October 3, between 10am and 4pm at Oakland City Hall, 1 Frank Ogawa Plaza. Mayor Dellums, Loni Hancock, Sandre Swanson and State Controller Chiang offer the opportunity for residents to address specific financial planning questions to professional financial planners.

Mayor Welcomes French Senators to Oakland: The Social Affairs Committee, made up of a delegation of nine French Senators, visited Oakland to discuss healthcare with Mayor Dellums. For decades, the former congressman has been advocating for universal healthcare in this country. In fact, in 1977, then Congressman Dellums introduced the National Health Service Act – a proposal that for two decades represented the most comprehensive and progressive healthcare proposal before Congress.

Mayor's Corner

2009-08-24T17:44:00.001-07:00

Updated for the Week of August 24:

Stimulus Funding for Public Safety: With strong advocacy from Mayor Dellums, Oakland received the largest COPS grant award in the nation to fund 41 police officers.

New Police Chief: After an intensive national search, Mayor Dellums announced Anthony Batts as Oakland’s new police chief. As Long Beach’s Police Chief, Batts lowered the crime rate to its lowest levels since 1975 and the rate of officer-involved shootings dropped 70 percent.

Mayor Honored as Solar Champion: Environment California awarded Mayor Dellums and the City of Oakland with a “2009 Solar Champion” award for having one of the highest rankings for solar roofs and solar power installed in the state. According to Environment California, Oakland has more than 642 solar roofs and 7,007 kilowatts installed (or solar capacity). The installation of solar roofs is also an aspect of the Mayor’s Green Job Corps Initiative.

Mayor Welcomes New Youth Program at City Hall: Libre, a project which brought together Latino youth to learn algebra, have fun, and oppose gang warfare, held its summer graduation at City Hall. This remarkable program was created by youth organizer, Raquel Jimenez, and she is working with school district, Mayor’s Office, and Spanish Speaking Citizen’s Foundation to sustain and expand it.

Mayor’s Office Sponsors Back to School Rally in Collaboration with Oakland Natives Give Back, OUSD, Task Forces, Oakland Parks and Rec & Others: On August 23, hundreds of families gathered at City Hall to celebrate returning to school. Nine hundred young people received free books from Scholastic Books, free backpacks, free haircuts, free pizza, inspiring workshops, and messages of support from Gary Payton, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Dwayne Wiggins, Nyeshia Dewitt, and many other notables.

BART Strike

2009-08-13T17:53:00.000-07:00

MAYOR RON DELLUMS: "It is our sincere hope that these negotiations get resolved in a timely matter, because many Oakland residents and employees depend on Bay Area Rapid Transit on a daily basis. These actions could have a tremendous impact on our business community at a time they should have our full support. Next week will be a challenge, but I encourage every Oakland resident and commuter to remain vigilant through this process, by visiting www.511.org for more information, carpooling when appropriate, and utilizing AC Transit and our Alameda/Oakland Ferry system.”

Oakland Specific Details:

• There will be no disruption to Art and Soul traffic this weekend, as the strike will take affect on Monday at midnight.

• The West Grand Avenue on-ramp to the Bay Bridge in Oakland will be limited to buses, commercial trucks, carpool vehicles, and FasTrak users during the weekday commute hours of 5 to 10 a.m. and 3 to 7 p.m. BART shuttle hours are 5 to 9pm and 3 to 8 p.m. and will only run towards commuter direction. Other vehicles headed for the Bay Bridge will be detoured to either the I-880 on-ramp on Union Street near 7th Street or the I-980/580 on-ramp on Northgate Avenue.

• BART will begin chartering buses on Monday, August 17 from four East Bay stations to San Francisco in the morning and reverse the operation in the afternoon. Although riders will be transferred to another bus in West Oakland, the majority of the boarding passes will be sold at the four East Bay stations in the morning. The boarding location in San Francisco is the intersection of Fremont and Folsom streets; the four East Bay BART stations will be Fremont, Dublin/Pleasanton, Walnut Creek, and El Cerrito del Norte.

• The Oakland Airport will suspend AirBART operations.

Information on Missing Five Year Old Child

2009-08-11T12:02:00.000-07:00

On August 10, a five year old child, Hassani Campbell, was reported missing from the area of 6000 College Avenue.

Campbell was last seen wearing a grey sweatshirt and grey pants and had difficulty walking. Campbell is disabled with leg braces and suffers from cerebral palsy.

If you have any information about the whereabouts of Campbell, call the Oakland Police Department immediately.

Oakland Police Department – Special Victims Section
510-238-3641

Please follow the link below for more information: http://www.mayorrondellums.org/storage/pdf/081009_campbell.pdf

Letter From Mayor Dellums Regarding COPS Funding

2009-08-05T21:58:00.000-07:00

August 5, 2009

Dear Oakland workers, residents, and partners:

I have the great privilege to notify you about the City’s recent receipt of $19.747 million from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This grant award will fund 41 police officers for the next three years and constitutes the largest grant award given in the nation. It has been my great honor to serve as Oakland’s champion to the White House and federal agency officials in articulating our collective efforts to reduce crime through holistic and comprehensive public safety strategies. Oakland’s community policing model is a key centerpiece of our approach.

I want to take this opportunity to thank the hard-working City staff who worked tirelessly on the COPS grant application and follow-up efforts. Gilbert Garcia and Candice Jessie from the Oakland Police Department worked under the supervision of Acting Chief Howard Jordan to put together a stellar application. Margaretta Lin from my office worked under the supervision of City Administrator Dan Lindheim to write a proposal narrative that connected our community policing model with our other model city initiatives. Many thanks to the private foundation funders who are funding her work for the City as part of our Office of Public Private Partnership’s efforts. The City’s successful stimulus efforts result from the public private partnerships that we have developed over time. We greatly appreciate the collaboration with the City Council and their staff on the City’s stimulus efforts. In particular, Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan was very helpful in volunteering to collect community support letters for the City’s application.

Some noteworthy data points about the City’s COPS grant include the following:

· The City of Oakland’s grant of $19,747,117 was the largest awarded in the nation. Other cities that received large awards include San Francisco ($16,562,750) and Los Angeles ($16,285,650). California has 109 applications awarded.

· The grant scoring was based upon three factors: fiscal health, crime statistics, and community policing model. The City received a score of 100% on our grant application.

· The Department of Justice received 7,272 applications from law enforcement agencies requesting $8.3 billion to fund more than 39,000 officer positions. With $1 billion available, the Department funded 1,046 applications that will pay for 4,699 officers. They anticipated funding 24% of applications from large cities, the category that Oakland falls under.

· In light of the oversubscription for the COPS program, the Department of Justice decided to place a funding cap for the jurisdictions selected for an award which capped all funded agencies at no more than 5% of their current actual sworn force strength as reported in their application, up to a maximum of 50 officers. Oakland’s sworn workforce at the time of our COPS’ application was 814 officers, which gave us a funding cap of 41 officers.

The COPS grant will help us continue the effective public safety pathway that my administration has charted—investing in prevention, intervention, and enforcement strategies. When I took office in January 2007, I made a commitment to the Oakland community to prioritize public safety needs. Compared to this time last year, there has been a 15% reduction in part one crimes (violent and property crimes), and a 23% reduction in homicides. Along with the geographic realignment of police staffing, the development of problem-solving officers, and connecting OPD staff to prevention and intervention community outreach workers, having sufficient OPD officers has been key to our crime reduction efforts. While the COPS award is insufficient by itself to meet the City’s police staffing needs, I remain committed to working with you, the federal government, and other partners to achieve additional resources. I have been advocating with the White House and through the U.S. Conference of Mayors for additional funds to be allocated this fiscal year for the COPS program. Given the national need, the shovel-readiness of funding officers from an employment perspective, and the direct connections between public safety and economic revitalization, I believe that such action makes eminent sense for the nation’s economic recovery priorities.

I am greatly heartened by the City’s success with the COPS grant and hopeful that through our dedicated partnership efforts we will be celebrating many more successes to come.

Sincerely,

Ronald V. Dellums

Mayor

Press Release: Bank on Oakland

2009-08-03T09:40:00.000-07:00

News from
Mayor Ron Dellums

PRESS RELEASE
July 29, 2009

Contact:
Stacy Towles
Bank on Oakland Program Coordinator
510-238-2428

BANK ON OAKLAND TEAMS UP WITH EDEN I&R’s 2-1-1 PHONE LINE TO PROVIDE BANK SERVICES

OAKLAND – By simply dialing 2-1-1, Alameda County residents can quickly obtain information about Bank on Oakland, a program that aims to help an initial 8,000 unbanked city residents open low-cost or no-cost bank accounts as a means toward asset building and financial independence.

Eden I&R, which operates 2-1-1 in Alameda County, and Mayor Ronald V. Dellums today announced that 2-1-1 will serve as the primary phone number for residents seeking information about Bank on
Oakland.

Bank on Oakland is led locally by Mayor Dellums, United Way of the Bay Area, and a volunteer coalition of local financial institutions, community-based organizations, and other interested partners. Bank on Oakland is part of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s larger Bank on California effort to bank 100,000 Californians over two years. During the next few months, the coalition will use targeted advertising and consumer education in multiple languages to promote low- or no-fee bank accounts.

“Bank on Oakland encourages unbanked residents to open bank accounts, by making banking options more accessible,” said Mayor Dellums. “By partnering with Eden I&R’s 2-1-1, we’re enabling Alameda County residents to obtain current information about participating banks and free financial training, in
over 150 different languages with one call to 2-1-1.”

“Thousands of low income Oakland residents call 2-1-1 every month seeking a variety of services,” said Barbara Bernstein, Executive Director of Eden I&R. “Public-private partnerships like the Bank On Oakland provide additional, critical services for people who are putting themselves at personal and financial risk by not having a bank account. By calling 2-1-1 and finding out about the closest participating bank, an individual no longer needs to carry around unnecessary cash nor pay fees to have
their checks cashed.”

For a list and locations of participating financial institutions call 2-1-1 or visit
www.BankOnOakland.ca.gov. You can also call 2-1-1 if you would like to partner with Bank on Oakland to educate your community about their banking options.

About Bank on Oakland

Bank on Oakland aims to make mainstream banking products and services more accessible to the 30,000 estimated Oakland households who currently have no checking or savings accounts. Everyone is welcome to open accounts at bank branches in Oakland, and then make transactions elsewhere. Without access to banking services, people are forced to rely on high-cost check cashers, paying hundreds of dollars each year in fees just to cash checks and pay bills. Bank on Oakland brings together 12 banks and credit unions
to offer low- or no-cost accounts and financial training to unbanked residents. The 12 participating banks and credit unions are: Bank of America, Bank of the West, Citibank, Chase, Oakland Municipal Credit Union, OneCalifornia Bank, Patelco Credit Union, People’s Federal Credit Union, United Commercial
Bank, Union Bank, Wachovia, and Wells Fargo.

About 2-1-1

2-1-1, a service of Eden I&R in Alameda County, is an easy-to-remember, three-digit phone number that connects people in need with health and human services. This free, confidential, 24-hour multilingual information line also serves as a vital link for individuals seeking to volunteer, provide resources and
assist during times of crisis.

About Bank on California

Bank on California is the Governor’s statewide initiative that brings together a local collaboration charged with giving unbanked households access to mainstream financial products and services, where they can begin saving, build a credit history, gain access to lower-cost sources of credit, and invest for their future.

Bank on California, modeled after Bank on San Francisco, is operating in five cities: Fresno, Los Angeles, Oakland, San Francisco and San Jose. Sacramento is planning to launch in late summer.

# # #

Oakland receives largest COPS grant

2009-07-30T11:18:00.000-07:00

Oakland is getting more of the funding than any other city in California and will receive $19.7 million over the next three years to fund 41 police officer positions.

From: KTVU

Oakland Army Base

2009-07-27T12:59:00.001-07:00

Mayor Dellums believes that the Port of Oakland is well-positioned to be the port of Middle America. AMB/CCG’s plan for trade and logistics will allow Oakland to achieve that goal by opening trade and providing good opportunities with that part of the country.

Before making his decision, the mayor listened to both sides, sought input from various stakeholders, and - contrary to published reports - commissioned a report to make a more informed decision.

The Mayor's Corner: A Few Recent Highlights

2009-07-21T09:44:00.000-07:00

Week of July 20, 2009:

Free Computer and Internet Access across the City: Mayor Dellums announced that free computer and internet access are now available to residents throughout the city at 24 recreation centers. Oakland Technology Exchange worked with the Oakland Park and Recreation Department to set up the service at every recreation center. Said Mayor Dellums, “I want our residents to communicate with people in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America, and I want them to have access to job information.” The Mayor reminded the assembled crowd that this event represents the implementation of another of the Mayor-initiated task force recommendations.

Mayor Dellums welcomes Volaris airlines to Oakland: 156 passengers arrived on Volaris airlines Thursday, July 16 in its first flight from Toluca, Mexico. Mayor Dellums greeted the CEO of Volaris, who made the unusual announcement that passengers will receive a full refund on any flights which do not arrive at their destination within 30 minutes of their scheduled arrival. The new airlines will bring $30 million in new revenue to the Oakland airport.

Improving Food Access in All Parts of the Oakland Community: At a U.S. Department of Agriculture West Coast Summit, Mayor Dellums praised grassroots Oakland efforts to create innovative food policy and expand urban food production so that fresh health food will be easily available to all residents.

“I am proud to say that Oakland has become a model for the nation in terms of greening a city,” said Mayor Dellums, as Oakland was named the 4th greenest city in the country by the Natural Resources Defense Network and Mother Nature Network. They also noted that Oakland has the cleanest tap water in the country. (Berkeley was named #7)

Mayor Dellums is proud to welcome Volaris, a new international airline operating out of OAK

2009-07-20T10:15:00.001-07:00

"It speaks to Oakland's overall desire to be a gateway to the world and our commitment to do just that." -- Mayor Ron Dellums

From: Oakland Tribune

Mayor Dellums announces new computer and internet access, free at Oakland rec centers

2009-07-15T09:35:00.000-07:00

These newly internet-equipped rec centers will improve computer capability and help to bring equity across the entire community. It is through achievements like this one that Oakland shows itself as a model city, in which all residents have access to technology. This is fundamental to modern democratic society, and we are proud to be setting an example here in Oakland.

Story: Oakland Tribune

Mayor Dellums and other officials welcome U.S. Transportation Secretary to the Port of Oakland

2009-07-06T10:13:00.000-07:00

Officials discussed Thursday the possibility of allocating federal funds for improving and greening Oakland's Port, which is a major economic hub for the region and for the nation as well.

"Our ports are our economic engines, and we need these engines to be revving up," said U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, who along Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums and Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, joined LaHood.

From: Oakland Tribune

Oakland's Fireworks Event

2009-07-03T11:55:00.000-07:00

· This 4th of July, Oakland’s fireworks event at Jack London Square will help bring Oakland residents and families together in a safe and fun celebration of our nation’s independence and freedom. The event is one that the entire community can enjoy.

· While the cost for this event ($65,000) is a small fraction of the city’s budget, the Mayor and members of the City Council are currently raising funds to offset half, if not more, of the cost.

City Attorney Russo - My Word, Crime is Down...

2009-06-30T10:04:00.000-07:00

"Credit is due to our police department, to the patrol officers who risk their lives and to the investigators and commanders who are using smarter and more effective tactics to fight crime during difficult times.

Whether or not it's the popular thing to say, one other person deserves some credit — Mayor Ron Dellums. At critical moments, Dellums took a stand to reform policing in Oakland and to fully staff the police department, and it looks like those decisions have helped the department's crime-fighting mission."

From: Oakland Tribune

East Bay Green Corridor Partnership Attracts $76M in Funds

2009-06-26T16:03:00.000-07:00

Mayor Dellums spoke today at the second annual East Bay Green Corridor Partnership Summit in Oakland.

"The East Bay Green Corridor Partnership was founded in December 2007. The partnership serves as a national model for regional collaboration and green job training. The group recently doubled their membership and added seven new partners, including the majors of Alameda, San Leandro, Albany and El Cerrito. They join the mayors of Oakland, Berkley, Richmond and Emeryville, the UC Berkeley Chancellor and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory."

From: KCBS

Online outreach: Model City Initiatives

2009-06-24T10:46:00.000-07:00

A review of the Mayor's Model City initiatives is now available on his official website.

“I understand that the people of Oakland elected me to provide leadership, implement our blueprint for the Model City, and most importantly to leverage my relationships at the Federal, State and Local levels to bring resources Oakland needs.”
- Mayor Ron Dellums

From: BizJournals

Join us this Friday!

2009-06-23T14:38:00.000-07:00

Oakland teams up with Pfizer and others to lead urban fight against AIDS

2009-06-23T09:44:00.000-07:00

"We still have to get our hands around this problem.  We still
have to wrestle it to the ground, and the hope is that this
collaboration will help us do that."
  - Mayor Ron Dellums


Partners:

Pfizer Inc.
Levi Strauss & Co.
Coca-Cola
BET
Facebook
Chevron Corporation
National Basketball Association
Women’s National Basketball Association
HBO
BD
The Brink’s Company
Colgate-Palmolive Company
OraSure Technologies


From: Bloomberg
Also: Business Wire

Congratulations to the first graduates of the Oakland Green Job Corps!

2009-06-22T12:17:00.000-07:00

"The Oakland Green Jobs Corps embraces a very simple, yet extraordinarily elegant idea: fight poverty and fight pollution simultaneously."

Graduation will be held at the Laney College Theater today, June 22nd, at 4 p.m.

From: CBS
Video Coverage: KTVU

Mayor's Office Responds

2009-06-17T09:25:00.000-07:00

June 16, 2009—San Francisco Chronicle columnist Chip Johnson erroneously stated today that Mayor Dellums is unwilling to make budget reductions in his office.

In fact, Mayor Dellums made cuts to his office in response to the City’s budget crisis last fall, and he is proposing to make even more significant cuts in light of the unprecedented budget shortfall the City is currently addressing. In Mayor Dellums view, no one is immune from the impact of Oakland’s budget crisis and he is more than willing to share the City’s pain:

He has proposed the same percentage budget cut to his office that he required of every City department (20%);

He is foregoing $169,000 in accumulated, discretionary “pay go” funds, which he considers bad public policy, as well as any future allocation of pay go funds, and he is calling on the City Council to eliminate pay go going forward;

He has volunteered to reduce his salary by the same percentage that is being asked of City employees (10%).

Johnson also incorrectly asserted that none of the recommendations put forward in a consultant’s report by former City Manager Robert Bobb have been implemented. A thorough review of Public Financial Management Group’s report would demonstrate the opposite to be true. Mayor Dellums has implemented many of the substantive recommendations made in this report. For example, during the first two months of this year, Mayor Dellums:

Appointed a permanent City Administrator, Dan Lindheim.

Established the Executive Office of the Mayor to coordinate the operations of the Mayor’s and City Administrator’s offices.

Hired key new members of the Mayor’s leadership team, including the Assistant City Administrator, Director of the Office of Public Private Partnership, and the Community and Economic Development Agency (CEDA) Director. Members of the leadership team share the Mayor’s priorities--to realign city services public safety, economic development, workforce development, and collaborative partnerships. These efforts will improve the quality of life, leverage the resources necessary to sustain Oakland through the current economic downturn, and enable us to realize our vision of Oakland as the Model City.

Hired a new Finance and Management Team, including Budget Director, Finance Director, Personnel Director and Parking Manager.

Hired a Public Safety Coordinator to bring all City services together focused on a comprehensive and integrated crime reduction strategy. The Neighborhood Services Division, Oaklanders Assistance Center and Measure Y coordination are all proposed to be consolidated under the Public Safety Coordinator for greater efficiency and coordination, pending budget approval.

Created leadership teams with structured meeting schedules.

Created a multi-year financial and strategic plan. Although the current and unprecedented budget crisis has required the budget and finance team to focus on addressing the City’s immediate financial challenges, strategies have been identified to address Oakland’s long-term financial health.

Established an Office of Public Private Partnerships to leverage grant funds and corporate sponsorships for public sector projects and facilitate intergovernmental collaboration necessary to take full advantage of the opportunities afforded by the economic stimulus and recovery efforts.

Working on the #1 priority: crime down significantly from last year

2009-06-11T09:18:00.000-07:00

Major crime down 15% from last year.

"Mayor Ron Dellums also deserves credit for his reforms of the police department, including the move to geographic policing and finally bringing the force up to full strength. If the drop-in-violent-crime trend continues, it'll be interesting to see whether the mayor's many critics have the courage to give him his due."

From: East Bay Express Blogs
See Also: Oakland Tribune

Mayor Dellums quells bankruptcy rumors

2009-06-10T09:22:00.000-07:00

"Bankruptcy is not a strategy that has been seriously considered, nor is it being pursued at this point."

From: The Chronicle
See Also: East Bay Express Blogs

Crime statistics reveal downswing from last year; Mayor's goal within reach

2009-06-05T12:59:00.000-07:00

Overall crime in Oakland is down about 20% from 2008.

"Mayor Ron Dellums' goal of a 10% reduction in overall crime by the end of the year seems eminently achievable."

From: The Chronicle
See also: A Better Oakland

Oakland from the ground up: 'Pothole Blitz' to improve roadways

2009-06-02T09:21:00.000-07:00

"I am encouraged by the success of this hands-on campaign to address a major quality of life issue in our city. Through this effort, I am confident we will continue to confront the issue of potholes, further limiting the damage to our roads, our neighborhoods and our vehicles."

From: Bay City News Service

Mother Wright Remembered, Celebrated by Mayor Dellums

2009-06-01T12:24:00.000-07:00

"This wonderful woman could see through the masses of people and see right to the individual, see one person and their need. Hers was a life well-lived. And she touched so many other lives."

From: Oakland Tribune

Teach Tomorrow in Oakland: Mayor Dellums announces $2.1 million education grant

2009-06-01T11:00:00.000-07:00

"Providing our schools with quality teachers is a critical issue for urban mayors and urban school districts. Teaching is the largest profession in the country. It's a stable job with quality benefits and our residents should have the opportunity to enter and succeed in this field."

From: KTVU

Mayor Dellums Responds to CA Supreme Court Decision on Proposition 8

2009-06-01T10:48:00.000-07:00