Oakland could be doomed. The city is spending money from their reserves, and they need some major budget cuts ASAP or they’ll have to declare fiscal emergency. They face a deficit of $93 million and their fiscal year ends in June of 2025. A lot of that budget pays for public safety and the police and fire departments could take some of the biggest cuts. That’s a huge problem for the residents who wish to live in safety.
The police department could be at it’s smallest in a long time, down to 600, if all of these cuts go through. The city is considering closing down several fire stations to go with it. Many residents are speaking out, saying that these are terrible ideas that could put people in danger.
To go along with possibly shaving down the police and fire units, the city of Oakland might cut back on city departments, libraries, senior centers, and even reduced hours at recreational centers. So basically, Oakland will end up with less police, less fire stations, and reduced things for people to do? What will they have left? I guess not much – and that has people worried that crime will pick up.
CBS News quoted Oakland Councilman Noel Gallo, who said: “My priority is public safety and a clean city. I need the police and the fire department to respond.” The report says Gallo and some other folks issued warnings about the fiscal situation to Mayor Sheng Thao months ago.
Another twist in the story ties into the sale of the Oakland Coliseum. The CBS News report says Oakland’s current budget is tied to the sale and the city hasn’t received any money from the deal that was made. Up next is targeting unions and possibly asking them for cuts and/or concessions.
It sounds like the people who ran Oakland didn’t know how to spend the money correctly and now they’re dealing with a fiscal nightmare. Here’s a news video to go with the story about Oakland and their fiscal issues:
