On Monday, November 19, a coalition of Oakland city workers from several unions called a press conference to present a budget roadmap for Oakland, a city that badly needs one. The coalition was fighting against budget problems that are driving city administrators to propose service cuts and even potential layoffs, as threatened by longtime Councilmember Noel Gallo. 

The changes proposed by administrators would hit every department in the city, including closing recreation and teen centers for months, eliminating animal control, cutting the KOCB crews that clean up illegal dumping, and more. Since the budget problems arise predominantly from police overtime going wildly over budget, while most other city departments are currently under budget, city workers are speaking up to demand fairness and protection of services for residents.

“As a 911 dispatcher, I can tell you first and foremost my coworkers and I receive the phone calls from all of the citizens that report the issues that happen in this city,” SEIU 1021 City of Oakland chapter president and dispatcher Antoinette Blue told KTVU. “There’s no way that we can go ahead and continue on with cutting dispatch, cutting fire, cutting any of the vital services that are needed to keep this city running.”

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The coalition’s roadmap calls for the city to grow its tax base; promote efficient, accountable budgeting for police overtime; restore enforcement of the tax code and revenue collection; and more. No matter what path Oakland chooses going forward, one thing is clear: City workers are needed to pave the way for a fairer Oakland for everyone.