With all of the crime problems Oakland faces it's almost funny to think that cutting police overtime charged would actually cause the city's $42 million deficit to decrease. It will not over a period of time because the workload that is attached to police overtime will not magically go away.
Indeed, the move could result in more work not done or crimes not solved or criminals not apprehended, which means that the problems that exist will not go away.
I have another solution: merge ALL of the City of Oakland Redevelopment Project areas and release some of that money reserved for projects to pay for police overtime. Between the Coliseum Redevelopment Area, the Downtown Redevelopment Area, and the West Oakland Redevelopment Area most of Oakland's flatlands are under the view of the Redevelopment Agency.
Before someone says "you can't use Redevelopment revenue for services" that's simply not true; such can be done if the money is declared for such use in the redevelopment plan. If such a provision is not there, then the plan should be amended to have it there.
The City Auditor needs to take a hard, public look at how Oakland's raising and spending Redevelopment Revenue. This is an issue that's been under the media radar far too long.
Indeed, the move could result in more work not done or crimes not solved or criminals not apprehended, which means that the problems that exist will not go away.
I have another solution: merge ALL of the City of Oakland Redevelopment Project areas and release some of that money reserved for projects to pay for police overtime. Between the Coliseum Redevelopment Area, the Downtown Redevelopment Area, and the West Oakland Redevelopment Area most of Oakland's flatlands are under the view of the Redevelopment Agency.
Before someone says "you can't use Redevelopment revenue for services" that's simply not true; such can be done if the money is declared for such use in the redevelopment plan. If such a provision is not there, then the plan should be amended to have it there.
The City Auditor needs to take a hard, public look at how Oakland's raising and spending Redevelopment Revenue. This is an issue that's been under the media radar far too long.
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