Oakland City Council approves mid-cycle amendments to $4 billion budget without layoffs

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- The Oakland City Council has approved mid-cycle amendments to its $4 billion budget, with supporters saying the plan protects jobs and prioritizes public safety despite ongoing financial concerns.

The council passed the budget adjustments in a 6-2 vote, following a contentious budget cycle and the failed Measure E parcel tax proposal.

"I think there is this narrative going around that with the failure of Measure E, Oakland is broke. And we can't fund any services, and there is going to be a lot of cuts. But the reality is, that's not true," said Councilmember Janani Ramachandran, chair of the Finance Committee.

Ramachandran said the revised budget includes no layoffs and relies on one-time funds to cover one-time expenses.

"This is the first time in a while that we have several positive fund balances," she said.

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City officials outlined several key investments in the amended budget, including $50 million for affordable housing; $4 million for homeless services, such as restoring emergency shelter beds; $900,000 to replace outdated equipment to support illegal dumping crews; and $500,000 for public safety initiatives in downtown and around Lake Merritt.

Councilmember Zac Unger said a major focus of the plan is reducing longterm financial obligations.

"And our single-biggest line item in our council amendment is paying down our longterm pension obligations," Unger said.

Unger, a former firefighter, said the budget also avoids fire station closures, as with the previous budget, and includes funding to purchase two new fire engines.

Despite those provisions, some councilmembers raised concerns about whether the budget does enough to address public safety.

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"I think there could have been more still. And that's again why I voted it down ultimately," said Councilmember Charlene Wang, chair of the Public Safety Committee.

Wang called the budget a positive step overall but said she wanted additional funding for traffic safety measures, red light cameras and improvements to the city's 911 response system.

"With the budget, my concern with the Measure NN spending plan, there was not enough of a focusing of bringing down 911 response times, including 911 hold times," Wang said.

Advocates also raised questions about how funds are distributed across city departments. Millie Cleveland with the Coalition for Police Accountability said there are concerns about potential pay increases for police officers compared to other city workers.

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"It's worth noting that OPOA could get raises," Cleveland said. "But there doesn't seem to be any more for cost-of-living increases for non-sworn unions."

Cleveland also said the city did not fully fund the Office of the Inspector General, as required by the city charter, which oversees the Oakland Police Department

City officials said contract negotiations remain ongoing for all departments as Oakland continues to navigate financial challenges and competing priorities.

The approved amendments reflect an effort by city leaders to stabilize the budget while maintaining services, though debate continues over whether the plan goes far enough to address public safety and longterm fiscal issues.