The Berkeley City Council introduced an urgent item to address the recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, shootings in Minneapolis at its regular meeting Tuesday. In addition, the council approved a poll asking community members for their input on raising the sales tax in Berkeley, voted to consolidate police equipment oversight and reporting policies and took steps to create a car-free Telegraph Avenue.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Urgent item on ICE in Minneapolis\u00a0<\/p>\n
The council unanimously passed an urgent item, which decried the violent actions by ICE, specifically the two recent deaths in Minneapolis, and called on Congress to ensure guardrails, according to the agenda. The item was authored by District 6 Councilmember Brent Blackaby.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Why it matters:\u00a0The resolution was submitted in response to the killing of four individuals by federal agents since September: Silverio Villegas Gonz\u00e1lez, Keith Porter Jr., Ren\u00e9e Good and Alex Pretti. The item calls on Congress to ensure that any funding bill for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, or DHS, includes \u201cmeaningful and significant\u201d guardrails.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In addition, the resolution calls for the resignation of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, the firings of Homeland Security Adviser Stephen Miller and Border Control \u201ccommander at large\u201d Gregory Bovino, who was removed from this role Monday. In the case that Noem does not resign, the resolution calls on Congress to begin impeachment proceedings.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we are seeing in Minneapolis, what we are seeing in Chicago, what we are seeing in (Los Angeles), we very well know could happen here or to other communities near us,\u201d Blackaby said about the resolution, which was also coauthored by Mayor Adena Ishii and cosponsored by District 7 Councilmember Cecilia Lunaparra. \u201cThis was our effort to provide a vehicle where we could speak with one voice about that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Berkeley resident and founding member of Copwatch, Andrea Prichett, responded to the item during public comment: \u201cI appreciate the sentiment of the emergency item, I really do. But I also come from a tradition that says words without actions turn into lies \u2026 A lot of words are spoken, but we need to see the actions. How will this council protect us? … Will you work with us in this very dangerous time? \u2018What will you do?,\u2019 not \u2018what will you say?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Amid budget deficit, City Council seeks opinions on tax<\/p>\n
The council passed a resolution that will refer to the city manager to include a poll on increasing sales tax in Berkeley, through an upcoming community survey.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Why it matters: The resolution, authored by District 1 Councilmember Rashi Kesarwani, would allow the city to gauge community interest in raising the sales tax from 10.25% to 10.75% \u2014 in line with seven other cities in Alameda County. The city currently projects a $27 million deficit in the upcoming fiscal year, and the tax is proposed as a way to increase revenue, according to the agenda.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSurrounding cities have increased their sales taxes the extra half percent to 10.75, and given our dire budget circumstances, we should follow suit,\u201d District 8 Councilmember Mark Humbert said. \u201cIt may be $5 million in increased revenues for the general fund. Certainly polling our constituents about this makes sense.\u201d<\/p>\n
Streamlining police oversight<\/p>\n
The council voted 6-2 to consolidate certain police equipment oversight policies and reports and to reduce deadlines for the Police Accountability Board, or PAB. The resolution initially decreased the amount of time the PAB has to review annual reports. After extensive debate at the meeting about PAB\u2019s capacity to review annual police department equipment use reports, the council voted on a 45-day deadline to review reports, as proposed by Lunaparra.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Why it matters: Ishii said the resolution was an effort to reduce \u201credundancy\u201d in reporting. PAB Chair Joshua Cayetano noted the board is still \u201cunderstaffed severely,\u201d advocating for a longer deadline than initially proposed on the agenda.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the reality here is we do want to be able to have that collaboration (with the PAB)\u201d Ishii said. \u201cI want to make sure we build that time in.\u201d<\/p>\n
A car-free future for Telegraph Avenue\u00a0<\/p>\n
The council voted to fund the process of researching making part of Telegraph Avenue, less than a block away from campus, a pedestrian zone with limited car access.\u00a0<\/p>\n