The Oakland City Council voted to approve their mid-cycle budget with a 6-2 vote after tense exchanges had council members working toward quick compromises.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The vote included $72 million worth of amendments introduced by Finance and Management Committee members Janani Ramachandran, Kevin Jenkins, Zac Unger and Rowena Brown on Thursday, and additional proposals offered by councilmembers Carroll Fife and Charlene Wang during Friday\u2019s meeting.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cToday\u2019s budget passage reflects the commitment by our budget team to solving our city\u2019s most pressing issues by providing the core services necessary to keep our residents safe \u2014 but doing so in a manner that prioritizes long-term fiscal responsibility,\u201d said Ramachandran in a statement. \u201cBy spending within our means and focusing on the priorities that are most vital to our communities, we are charting a new course for Oakland<\/a> rooted in safety, sustainability, and transparency.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The budget includes money for one-time expenditures such as new fire and dump trucks, shelter beds, beautification and graffiti removal programs, a program to financially incentivize filmmakers to film movies in Oakland, streetlight maintenance, public restrooms in parks, among other things. Money was also allocated for long-term pension payments, public safety programs and homelessness services.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n However, the vote did not go off without a few moments of contention.\u00a0<\/p>\n Focused on increasing civilian oversight for the Oakland Police Department, Fife demanded that the members of the Public Safety Committee, which includes Fife, Wang, Brown and Councilmember Ken Houston, do a deep dive with her into OPD\u2019s budget in hopes to identify areas where they could get increased civilian oversight<\/a> and reduce expenses to earn Fife\u2019s vote on the budget.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n All three committee members agreed to work with Fife after she asked for their written commitments \u201cin blood.\u201d\u00a0 Fife voted yes on the budget.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Funding fight over senior services<\/p>\n