MEMORANDUM
TO:
HonorableMayor, CityCouncil &Membersof thePublic
FROM: Nikki FortunatoBasCouncil President, District 2
SUBJECT: FY2024-2025MidcycleBudget DATE: June6, 2024
DearMayor, CouncilColleaguesandMembersofthePublic,
ThisparticularMidcycleBudgetprocessistougherthananyotherinrecentyears,duetosignificantrevenueshortfalls.Weareworkingtocloseaprojected$177MilliondeficitinourGeneralPurposeFund(GPF)inthenextfiscalyearstartingJuly1,2024inordertobalanceOakland’s$2.2BillionFY2024-2025budget.
Justayearago,weclosedahistoric$360MilliondeficitbymakingharddecisionsandadoptingabalancedFY2023-2025budgetthatreducedexpenditureswhileavoidinglayoffs,maintainingcriticalservices,andmakingrecordinvestmentsinaffordablehousingwithfundsfromMeasureU.
I amworkingwithCouncilmembersDanKalb(D1),CarrollFife(D3)andKevinJenkins(D6)onmybudgetteam.WearestillreviewingtheMayorandAdministrator’sproposedbudget,releasedtwoweeksago;listeningtoconstituentfeedback;andgettinganswerstoquestions.
Atfirstreview, criticalcityservicesarepreservedintheproposedbudget,includingcommunitysafety(Ceasefire,CrimeReductionTeams,ViolencePrevention,MACROand911improvements),servicesforcleanstreetsandneighborhoods(KeepOaklandClean&Beautiful,abandonedautos),andhoursofoperationatlibraries,parks,andrecreationandseniorcenters.SignificantinfrastructurefundingforaffordablehousingandcapitalimprovementsthroughMeasureUwillcontinue.
Inordertoproposethoughtfulamendmentstoapproveabalancedbudget,wewillcontinuetolistentoadditionalconstituentfeedbackaswealsogetanswerstoourquestions.WehopethiswillensurethatouramendmentsaremoreinclusiveofinputfromboththepublicandourcolleaguesontheCouncil.
ThesearethevaluesandprioritiesthatwillguideourworkasweprepareamendmentsoverthenextweekfortheSpecialCouncilmeetingonJune18that1:30pm.
Special CityCouncilJune12, 2024
HonorableMayor, CityCouncil &Membersof thePublicSubject: FY2024-25MidcycleBudgetDate: June6, 2024 Page2 ● Acommitmenttoinstillmoreequityinourbudgetingprocess● Acommitmenttodelivercoreservicesforaclean,safeandthrivingcity● Acommitmenttosupportingourvaluedworkforce● Acommitmenttoaneffectiveandaccountablegovernment● Increasedattentionandfocusonrevenuecollection,aswellasrevenuegenerationthroughsupportinglocalworkersandbusinesses,andthroughsustainableeconomicdevelopment● Acommitmenttoaddressingourstructuraldeficit Withourseriousfiscalchallenges,therearelimitstowhatwewillbeabletopropose.Thatsaid,weareconsideringamendmentsthat:● Improvedeliveryofcritical,corecityservices● Improvecommunitysafety● Improverevenuecollection/generation Tomembersofthepublic,pleasenotethefollowingbudgetresources:
● ProposedMidcycleBudget(oaklandca.gov/budget) withlinkstotheonlinebudgetportalandquestions&answers.Ourbudgetteam’sinitialquestions&answersarememo#2here:https://www.oaklandca.gov/documents/fy-24-25-midcycle-council-budget-questions-and-responses● CouncilPresident’sBudgetWebinarrecording:clickontheZoomrecordinglink(bit.ly/D2OakBudgetWebinar2024) andenterthepasscode:5h!A8eF+○ InterpretationinCantonese,Mandarin,Vietnamese,andSpanisharealsoincludedinthevideorecording.
ThankyoutoallofourCitystaff foryourhardworkandcommitmenttoourcity. Welookforwardtoourbudgetdiscussionsamongourcolleaguesandwiththepublic.
Respectfullysubmitted,
NikkiFortunatoBasCouncilPresident,District2
Special CityCouncilJune12, 2024