Oakland Redevelopment Successor Agency/City Council Special Budget Meeting – June 12, 2026

The Oakland City Council held a special concurrent meeting on June 12, 2026, to adopt the FY 2026-27 midcycle budget and related resolutions. Chair Ramachandran presided, and the meeting convened at 12:09 PM and adjourned at 3:44 PM. The council considered two major items together: Item 4 (adopting the midcycle budget and authorizing fund transfers) and Item 5 (declaring extreme fiscal necessity to suspend voter-approved minimum staffing and set-aside requirements). The meeting included presentations from the council budget team, 58 public speakers on the combined items, and extensive council debate over amendments. The council ultimately approved Item 5 with an amendment removing references to Measure Q (parks maintenance) and approved Item 4 with multiple amendments to the budget spreadsheet and policy directives.

Public Comments & Testimony

• 58 speakers addressed Items 4 and 5 collectively, and 7 additional speakers participated in Open Forum. Key themes:
  • Civilian police oversight: Multiple speakers (Millie Cleveland of Coalition for Police Accountability, Michelle Monteros of APTP, Ben Gould, and others) urged full funding for the Inspector General (8 positions), Community Police Review Agency (7 investigators), and Police Commission staffing. They argued that voter-mandated oversight is undermined by funding freezes and that OPD overtime ($31 million above budget) should be scrutinized rather than cutting oversight.
  • Senior services: Celeste Neal, Lorraine Soria, Kim Olson (SOS Meals on Wheels), and others called for opening senior centers five days a week without cutting the Assets program (10 part-time senior aides). They stressed that senior centers reduce isolation and support healthy aging.
  • Affordable housing: Damien Scott (East Bay Housing Organizations), Brian Duong (LISC), Caroline McCormack (Housing Accelerator Fund), and others strongly supported the $50 million in Measure U bond proceeds for affordable housing, noting a robust pipeline of shovel-ready projects.
  • Workers’ rights: Jennifer Foster (Local 21 president), Elliot Goodrich, and Andrea Ramirez criticized the budget for providing no cost-of-living increases for non-sworn employees and for diverting money from frontline staff. They called for a line-by-line budget review and better retention efforts.
  • Human trafficking and traffic safety: Dr. Aisha Mays (Dream Youth Clinic) and Natitia Leon (Love Never Fails) supported Councilmember Wang’s amendment for a paralegal to enforce sex trafficking fines. Kevin Daly and others urged funding for quick-build traffic calming and red light cameras.
  • Environmental enforcement: Damaka Watson (SEIU 1021, EEO) supported funding for illegal dumping crews but highlighted chronic understaffing and the need for more proactive enforcement.
  • Arts and culture: Jamal True Love (Bay Area Film Night) thanked the council for film incentive funding, and several speakers supported the Cultural Affairs Division restoration.
  • African immigrant community: Dr. Veronica Fouebunet and others from GCEA African Resource Center requested $5.7 million for a community stabilization initiative, noting that African-owned firms receive <1% of city contracts.

Discussion Items

• Presentation of Council Budget Team Amendments (Councilmembers Ramachandran, Brown, Unger, President Jenkins)
  • The team outlined $72 million in amendments: $50 million from accelerated Measure U bond proceeds for affordable housing, and $22 million from increased revenue projections (parking enforcement) and salary savings from over 700 vacant funded positions.
  • Key investments: $2.4 million for new fire engines, $2.4 million for emergency shelter beds, $900,000 for illegal dumping vehicles, $500,000 for downtown/Lake Merritt public safety, $300,000 for wildfire risk assessments, $500,000 for solar street lighting, $1 million for speed cameras, $1.2 million for safe parking, $500,000 for hotel vouchers, $1 million for reserves, $1 million to pay down pension liabilities, $250,000 for OUSD water access, $200,000 for senior wellness, $150,000 for arts, $250,000 for film incentives, and funds for graffiti removal, electricians, and HR vacancy strike force.
  • Policy directives included: quarterly reports on encampment abatement, civilianization of OPD (report twice a year), a cultural facilities bond study (due October 2027), feasibility of a park ranger program at Lake Merritt, standard communications protocol for departments, and prioritizing expanded senior center hours.
• Councilmember Amendments
  • Councilmember Fife added: an ELDE for community garden pilot program (Fund 2244), a contract to administer film incentives (Make It Bay), and policy directives for long-term budget forecasting software and reporting on CIPRA investigator vacancies.
  • Councilmember Wong proposed: an ELDE for human trafficking fine enforcement, $500,000 for quick-build traffic calming pilot (state gas tax fund), and startup costs for a red light camera program (Traffic Safety Fund). She argued these are revenue-generating and address public safety.
  • Councilmember Houston advocated for a policy directive to explore funding for senior centers five days a week (estimated $800,000 additional cost).
  • Councilmember Gallo expressed concerns about 839 vacancies and prioritized public safety, clean streets, and homeless services, but did not formally move amendments.
• Administration Feedback
  • Director Johnson noted that the city administrator’s office had concerns about several amendments, including the civilianization of an OPD PIO position (later resolved by Chief Beere who said it was feasible). The administration also flagged that the Cultural Facilities Bond report was pushed to October 2027, and that the senior center expansion would require an ongoing revenue source.
• Council Debate
  • A significant discussion centered on civilian police oversight. Councilmember Fife sought commitment to fully fund CIPRA and the Inspector General. Council President Jenkins and Councilmember Wang committed to a deep review of OPD’s budget and efficiency, including overtime, in future public safety committee meetings. This was offered as a basis for Fife’s support without adding a new CIPRA position in the midcycle.
  • Councilmember Wong withdrew her traffic safety amendments after not receiving a response during the vote; she voted no on Item 4. Councilmember Gallo also voted no, citing unresolved union contracts and the failure to fill 839 vacant positions.

Key Outcomes

• Item 5 (Fiscal Necessity Declarations) – Approved as Amended
  • Motion by Council President Jenkins, seconded by Councilmember Fife, to adopt staff recommendations with the removal of all references to Measure Q (parks maintenance suspension).
  • Vote: 8-0 (Aye: Gallo, Ramachandran, Unger, Fife, Jenkins, Houston, Brown, Wang; No: none). Note: The transcript shows Councilmember Gallo voting “no” initially, but the official minutes record 8-0. This discrepancy may reflect a later roll call correction.
• Item 4 (Midcycle Budget Adoption) – Approved as Amended
  • Motion by Chair Ramachandran, seconded by Council President Jenkins, to adopt the budget as amended, incorporating the five budget spreadsheet changes and all policy directives (including those from Fife and Houston, and administrative adjustments to reporting timelines).
  • Amendments to the budget spreadsheet:
    1. Fund 1010: Add a one-year ELDE for human trafficking fine enforcement (Councilmember Wong).
    2. Fund 1010: Increase funding for the film incentive program, administered via a contract to an outside agency (Councilmember Fife).
    3. Fund 1010 (Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax): Reallocate $50,000 to OUSD for safe water access and $200,000 for senior wellness programs and senior center funding (President Jenkins).
    4. Fund 2244 (Measure Q): Add an ELDE for the community garden food pilot program (Councilmember Fife).
  • Policy Directives (consolidated and amended) :
    1. Quarterly updates to Life Enrichment Committee on encampment abatement policy.
    2. Semi-annual updates to Public Safety Committee on OPD civilianization progress.
    3. City Administrator to explore a cultural facilities bond measure (report due October 2027).
    4. Feasibility assessment of a park ranger program and permitted vending at Lake Merritt (timed for next biennial budget).
    5. Standard communications protocol for departments to update council offices.
    6. Expand senior center hours based on available funding and staffing (priority directive).
    7. Explore technology requirements for multi-year budget forecasting (Councilmember Fife).
  • Vote: 6-2 (Aye: Ramachandran, Unger, Fife, Jenkins, Houston, Brown; No: Gallo, Wang).
• Next Steps: The City Administrator will implement the adopted budget and policy directives. The council committed to reviewing OPD’s budget and overtime in future public safety committee meetings as a condition for further oversight funding.