FROM: Councilmembers Rowena Brown (At-Large), Janani Ramachandran (District 4), Zac Unger (District 1), and Charlene Wang (District 2)
FY 2025-2027 BUDGET POLICY DIRECTIVES
From the Council Budget Team: Councilmembers Janani Ramachandran, Rowena Brown, Charlene Wang, and Zac Unger
The following policy directives will ensure Oakland effectively implements the Council’s budget priorities. City Administration shall provide a status report and timeline for implementation on all adopted FY 2025-27 budget policy directives along with a status update on budget policy directives from the FY 2023-25 adopted budget to the Council's Finance Committee no later than October 2025. In addition, City Administration shall provide an informational report on the status of each of the items below at the second Council meeting in January 2026 to prepare for the mid-cycle budget process in June 2026.
OPD Academy Recruitment: Direct the City Administrator to work with the Police Department and City Council to implement new strategies to recruit qualified applicants to future OPD Academies. Specifically, OPD should target an Academy size of 40 recruits; develop enhanced marketing and outreach strategies to reach potential applicants, with a focus on Oakland-based outreach and including contracting with recruitment entities and partnerships with young adult mentorship organizations; and contact past qualified applicants who might be interested in reapplying for a future Academy. Filling police academies is crucial for reaching the minimum sworn staffing level mandated by Measure NN. The administration should adhere to the existing proposed schedule of the 195th Academy beginning in July 2025, the 196th in November 2025, the 197th in March 2026, the 198th in July 2026, and the 199th in November 2026. The proposed budget amendments include funding to implement this directive.
Civilianization of Eligible OPD Positions: Direct the City Administrator to work with the Police Department and Human Resources and return to City Council with a detailed plan, costing, and any necessary budget amendments to increase the number of OPD positions filled
by qualified civilian staff. Every effort must be taken to ensure that as many sworn OPD officers as possible are available for patrol, special operations, or conducting criminal investigations.
Shifting administrative and other non-law enforcement responsibilities to civilian staff will help to further this objective while increasing employment opportunities for qualified Oakland residents and ensuring greater cost savings for the City.
Direct the City Administrator to form a task force to facilitate implementation of Council direction to transition the functions of OPD’s Internal Affairs Division (IAD) to the Community Police Review Agency (CPRA) for investigations. The task force should include representatives from the City Council, City Attorney’s Office, City Administration, Police Commission, OPD, CPRA, and the Inspector General. The task force should produce a plan and timeline for the implementation of this transition by June 30, 2026. In addition, transferring IAD functions to CPRA would remove any conflicts of interest (real or perceived) that might exist with OPD officers investigating their fellow officers.
Abandoned Auto Surge: Direct the City Administrator to implement a surge to conduct focused corridor work on removing abandoned automobiles, recreational vehicles, and related blight, thereby clearing public rights-of-way and supporting a clean, safe city. The proposed budget amendments include funding to implement this directive.
Illegal Dumping: Direct the City Administrator to work collaboratively with the Alameda County District Attorney to ensure enforcement of illegal dumping violations in Oakland. Utilize relevant staff positions and contract services to ensure that evidence on illegal dumping violations and other environmental crimes can be gathered, including through the review of surveillance camera footage. Improve training for Environmental Enforcement Officers (EEOs) in order to more effectively carry out their duties and collect evidence on violators, including appropriate OSHA and HazMat training and technology. Implement more effective technology for monitoring illegal dumping hotspots and supporting appropriate enforcement actions, identify and utilize best practices from comparable jurisdictions, partner with community organizations, engage in meaningful community outreach and education, and develop workforce programs to train marginalized Oaklanders to gain meaningful employment with the City in this work. The proposed budget amendments include funding to implement this directive.
External Funding for Homelessness Solutions: Direct the City Administrator to engage with Alameda County to expand efforts that will foster effective and sustainable collaboration around the provision of homelessness services in the City of Oakland. These coordinated efforts would ensure greater opportunities for funding, direct outreach and engagement, health and medical services, and potential housing placements. Additionally, this City-County collaboration would also engage with State and Federal stakeholders around opportunities for expanded coordination and additional funding sources to benefit Oakland’s homeless population.
Human Resources: Direct the City Administrator to create policies that address our staffing crisis and promote efficiency in hiring key positions citywide, including more effective marketing and proactive community engagement with Oakland residents to provide information about the availability of City positions, as well as increased strategic engagement with labor partners and department leadership to identify and close process gaps.
Salary Step Changes for New Hires: Direct the City Administrator to ensure that all classified employees are hired at the salary step that complies with the respective MOU. Direct the City Administrator to develop a policy to ensure that all exempt employees are hired at no higher than Step 3, subject to any legal requirements and with a waiver provision if a candidate presents exceptionally high qualifications.
Economic Incentives for Small Business: Direct the City Administrator to schedule the informational report described in Resolution No. 90693 on limited tax abatements, fee and permit holidays, business expansion streamlining, and other mechanisms to encourage business to start up, relocate to, and expand in Oakland - including a strategy to match local businesses with available commercial spaces.
Fiscal Contingencies: Direct the City Administrator to work with the Finance Department and City Council to proactively develop potential alternatives in FY 2026-2027 to address a revenue shortfall incurred if the proposed tax measure does not pass. Providing potential alternatives should occur well in advance of a measure being placed on the ballot.
Human Trafficking: Direct the City Administrator to work with the Police Department, the Department of Violence Prevention, Human Services, and the Department of Transportation to develop an action plan and interdepartmental strategy focused on identifying and combating human trafficking in Oakland – including a focus on trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation occurring on International Blvd. City departments should work to expand street outreach teams that connect with victims of commercial sexual exploitation, expand ambassadors in affected areas, and reduce demand through environmental design infrastructure. City departments should collaborate with regional and federal law enforcement, nonprofits, faith organizations, and the Oakland community to identify potential exploitation, break up organized criminal efforts, and provide appropriate aid to survivors and victims of trauma.