Oakland Special Finance & Management Committee Meeting – April 21, 2026

The Oakland City Council's Special Finance & Management Committee met on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at 9:00 AM in City Council Chamber. The meeting, chaired by Councilmember Janani Ramachandran, covered eight agenda items including the initiation of the annual Landscaping and Lighting Assessment District process, multiple reports from the Budget Advisory Commission (BAC) on fiscal policy, budget process, and a proposed parcel tax, a salary survey for positions under $25/hour, and an update on the Special Revenue Collection Project. All votes were unanimous (4-0) in favor of staff recommendations.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Item 2 (Schedule of Outstanding Items): A speaker (unidentified) noted that council policy directives would be published on the city administrator's website this week.
• Item 3 (LLAD Initiation): A speaker (Mss. Olabala) expressed opposition, arguing that property tax burdens fall unfairly on property owners and that the city's equity claims are not fulfilled, citing poor park maintenance and a tree falling on their car. They urged the council to evaluate the actual distribution of services.
• Items 4-6 (BAC Reports – RETT, Budget Process, Parcel Tax): Two public speakers commented. Kevin Daly urged the city to monitor state legislation on a vehicle miles traveled tax as gasoline tax revenues decline, and to consider a network tax on rideshare and autonomous vehicles. David Boatwright praised the BAC's detailed work and strongly supported continued district budget forums with more resident interaction. Mss. Olabala raised concerns about selective question handling at public meetings and criticized the proposed Measure E as a union-backed initiative that should require a higher voter threshold (66%) rather than 50%+1. They also questioned the definition of "resident" and petition practices.
• Item 7 (Salary Survey): Kevin Daly, co-chair of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission, highlighted challenges for firefighter trainees due to low pay and urged retention incentives (e.g., residency incentives, language pay). Mss. Olabala called for greater transparency on overtime costs and argued that it is unfair that city workers earn less than fast-food wages.
• Item 8 (Revenue Collection Project): David Boatwright questioned the effectiveness of postcards in getting voluntary compliance. Mss. Olabala listed multiple unenforced revenue opportunities (occupancy rules, illegal vendors, front license plates, fire inspection fees). Kevin Daly noted improvements needed in the business tax website and urged collection of fire inspection fees, citing unresolved violations.
• Open Forum: Speakers raised issues about spending priorities ("Democracy Dollars" program), parking enforcement call center hours, and the need for grant post-audits.

Discussion Items

• Item 2 – Determination of Schedule of Outstanding Committee Items: Unanimously accepted as presented.
• Item 3 – FY 2026-27 Landscaping and Lighting Assessment District (LLAD) Initiation: Staff (Jose Segura) explained that this is the first of three steps required annually under Proposition 218. The assessment rates have not increased since 1993, and the district generates roughly $19 million annually for street lighting, parks, and landscaping. Councilmember Wong raised concerns about deteriorating street lighting services and long repair times, noting that there is only one lighting engineer. Staff clarified that the LLAD funds both lighting and landscape services but that costs have eroded over time. Councilmember Brown asked about the timeline for the engineer's report; staff confirmed it would be brought back on May 12, 2026. The item was forwarded to the May 5, 2026 City Council consent agenda.
• Items 4, 5, 6 – Budget Advisory Commission Reports (Joint Presentation): BAC member Ben presented on three reports:
  • Item 4 – Redefining Excess Real Estate Transfer Tax (RETT) Revenue: He recommended amending the Consolidated Fiscal Policy (CFP) to define excess RETT as any amount over $70 million (adjusted for inflation), replacing the current 15% of general purpose funds threshold, which has only been exceeded in 4 of the last 15 years. The change would help stabilize revenue and replenish reserves. Councilmember Unger asked about flexibility; Finance Director Bradley noted that changing the CFP requires an ordinance and that they plan to bring a comprehensive update in October 2026, also noting the risk of a statewide initiative that could limit RETT revenue.
  • Item 5 – Budget Process Assessment: BAC member Larissa reported improved community engagement, including pre-mayoral-budget informational forums and town halls, but recommended earlier engagement, default interpretation, multiple town halls per district, direct dialogue with councilmembers, and clearer follow-up on resident input. She noted that the budget's approval three weeks early was celebrated but also led some residents to feel they missed their window for input.
  • Item 6 – Proposed $40 Million Parcel Tax for June 2026: Though the city is no longer pursuing the measure, BAC recommended progressive tiering (e.g., based on square footage or number of units), independent oversight, alignment with civic engagement, and exemptions for ADUs to encourage housing. They also suggested evaluating existing earmarked funds (e.g., Children's Fund, library parcel taxes) for efficiency and potentially going back to voters to adjust allocations. Councilmembers discussed how parcel taxes affect renters and the feasibility of square-footage-based structures. All three informal reports were received and filed unanimously.
• Item 7 – Salary Survey Results for Classifications Under $25/Hour: Staff (Jamie Pritchett) presented data on 39 active classifications with a minimum step below $25/hour, covering 898 employees (42 full-time, 854 temporary/part-time). 72% of these classifications have a maximum step at or above $25/hour. Market comparisons showed mixed results: some roles are competitive (e.g., lifeguards, recreation leaders), but others (e.g., Head Start instructors, firefighter trainees) pay far below living wage. Councilmembers Brown and Wong expressed strong support for raising wages to at least $25/hour, noting that many positions serve critical community needs. Councilmember Wong questioned the low pay for firefighter/paramedic trainees ($19-$23/hour) vs. peer cities ($44-$60/hour); staff explained that Oakland's trainees are non-sworn until after academy, so comparisons may not be apples-to-apples. The report was received and filed.
• Item 8 – Special Revenue Collection Project: Staff (Nicole Welch) reported progress on collecting unpaid business taxes, including placing $1.58 million in liens against 2,269 property accounts in January 2026, sending 75,000 postcards to landlords, and conducting field enforcement with partner agencies. Rental registrations tripled from 288 to 900 in the past fiscal year. Councilmember Ramachandran noted that a follow-up report would be requested for fall 2026, with an updated title and new co-sponsorship reflecting current councilmembers rather than former Councilmember Kaplan. Councilmember Wang requested data on additional revenue collected directly from enforcement efforts. The report was received and filed.

Key Outcomes

• Item 2: Adopted (4-0) determination of schedule of outstanding committee items.
• Item 3: Approved (4-0) to forward resolution to the May 5, 2026 City Council consent agenda, initiating the LLAD assessment process.
• Items 4, 5, 6: Each received and filed (4-0) as informational reports. The BAC’s recommendations will be considered during the CFP revision process expected in October 2026.
• Item 7: Received and filed (4-0). Councilmembers expressed intent to pursue wage increases for low-paid classifications through collective bargaining and future budget cycles.
• Item 8: Received and filed (4-0). A new item will be scheduled for fall 2026 to report further progress on revenue collection.
• Open Forum: No formal action taken.