Oakland Rules & Legislation Committee Meeting - March 26, 2026: Charter Reform and Agenda Scheduling

The Oakland City Council Rules & Legislation Committee convened on March 26, 2026, at 10:31 AM to approve minutes, schedule numerous items to future committee and council meetings, and receive an informational report on charter reform recommendations from the Mayor's Charter Reform Working Group. The committee approved all scheduling items unanimously and received the charter report, with extensive public comment. The meeting adjourned at 12:33 PM.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Draft Minutes: Approved the minutes from the committee meetings of February 26, March 5, and March 12, 2026 (3-0).
• New Scheduling Items (Item 3): Approved as amended (3-0) the scheduling of over 30 items to various committees and council meetings, including:
  • Items 3.1–3.4 scheduled to the April 13, 2026 Special Education Partnership Committee.
  • Items 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.27, 3.28, 3.29, 3.30, 3.34, 3.35, 3.36, and 3.38 scheduled to the April 14, 2026 Special City Council agenda (most on consent, some on non-consent).
  • Item 3.8 moved to the May 12, 2026 Finance & Management Committee.
  • Items 3.17 and 3.18 moved to the Public Safety Committee pending list, no date specific.
  • Item 3.19 scheduled to the May 5, 2026 City Council agenda on consent.
  • Other items as detailed in the minutes.
• Review of Draft Agendas (Item 4): Approved as amended (3-0), including scheduling changes to pending lists and the encampment abatement policy to the April 14, 2026 Special City Council agenda at 9:30 AM on non-consent.

Public Comments & Testimony

• On Item 3 (New Scheduling): Three speakers addressed the committee. Kevin Daly questioned the removal of the parking administrator from the salary ordinance. Rajni Mandal urged council to consider structural and performance reviews for police oversight bodies before adding resources. Blair Beekman spoke on multiple items, including police oversight and illegal dumping.
• On Item 5 (Charter Reform): Approximately 26 speakers (as per minutes) provided testimony. Many opposed the strong mayor recommendation and advocated for a council-manager system or a "third option" combining a strong mayor on the council with a professional city manager. Speakers included Stephen Falk, Nancy Falk, Steve Cohn, Mark Sowicky, Pat Martell, and others. Supporters of the strong mayor recommendation included Keith Brown and Richard Fuentes. Former Mayor Libby Schaff shared her experience with the strong mayor system under Jerry Brown and cautioned against another hybrid. Debate centered on accountability, representation, and the appropriate structure for Oakland.
• Open Forum: Seven speakers addressed topics including police overtime, permit fee enforcement, and the charter reform process.

Discussion Items

• Item 5: Informational Report on Charter Reform Recommendations: The Mayor's Charter Reform Working Group, co-facilitated by Gail Wallace and Nicole Neditch, presented its recommendations. The working group recommended that Oakland adopt a fully integrated strong mayor system, with a strengthened city council (including a legislative budget analyst office, return to an odd number of council seats, and a consistent salary-setting mechanism for all elected officials). The presentation highlighted four key themes from community outreach: severe fiscal distress, racial and geographic inequities, lack of decisive authority, and a highly engaged civic culture. Councilmembers heard public comments and expressed intentions to continue community engagement. Councilmember Brown stated she could not support eliminating the at-large seat and favored a "third option" model. Councilmember Ramachandran noted the need for further input. Councilmember Houston (not on the committee) also spoke in favor of a third option. The committee voted to receive and file the report.

Key Outcomes

• Votes:
  • Approved minutes (3-0).
  • Approved New Scheduling Items as amended (3-0).
  • Approved Review of Draft Agendas as amended (3-0).
  • Received and filed Item 5 (Charter Reform Report) (3-0).
• Scheduling Changes: Numerous items were assigned to specific future meetings as detailed above. Key changes include moving items 3.17 and 3.18 to the Public Safety Committee pending list and rescheduling the encampment abatement policy for April 14, 2026.
• Next Steps: The charter reform discussion will be continued at a future full City Council meeting, likely in the evening to allow broader public participation. Councilmembers committed to ongoing community engagement.