libby schaaf eye problems

As the town awakened that February morning and more people flocked to the lake for their daily jog or walk, a woman approached Schaaf. Despite the unrelenting challenges of these times, we made historic accomplishments together. Hear the latest economic, business and market news, as well as global, national, and local news. Once again, lots of folks tout themselves as progressives, but just like Schaaf they are neoliberals co-opting language that they hope will fool voters and get them elected. To be sure, Schaaf shouldered more blame than she deserved for the citys homelessness, rising gun violence and troubled municipal finances. So the council, which shifted from roughly evenly split to labor dominance during Schaafs tenure, has had the final word on the citys budget and the votes to stymie the mayors police-staffing goals. Invest in our communities to ensure housing as a human right, good jobs to support Oakland families, mental health care and youth programs, safe roads and clean streets. The Just Recovery Budget totals more than $3.85 billion over the next two years, as shown in the table below: "As the City begins to recover from the devastating impact of the COVID pandemic, this Just . Rain finally came to California. She is the co-founder of the firm. [14], During her tenure on the city council, Schaaf fought to raise the minimum wage,[15] voicing her support for Measure FF,[16][17] also known as Lift Up Oakland, a $12.25 minimum wage ballot initiative which passed in a landslide on November 4, 2014. OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf says the city is working to deal with a spike in homicides with more than a dozen seen this year so far. Harriette Cole: How do I confront my mom about what I heard? Published: Aug 26, 2022. In the citys housing element from 2015 to 2023, which lays out how a city will plan for new homes, Oakland reached 174% of its goal for above-moderate-rate housing. Oakland officials are eyeing an expansion to the city's police force to confront the increase in violent crime, which has resulted in more than 115 homicides so far this year.Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf (D) said her office is drafting a proposal to put before the City Council that would increase the number of active police officers and require the city to maintain a larger police force . Rather they split between progressives. Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Californians approved billions for new water storage. Overall, since Mayor Schaaf took office while the total OPD budget grew by over 80% Oaklands Public Works budget has increased by only 38%. The first enforcement of this ban was on May 21, during a #SayHerName[29] march, a nationwide coordinated march focused on ending state violence against black women and girls in the US. Since Schaaf took office, the number of unhoused Oaklanders has increased by 130%. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Some leaders have pointed to Schaafs tenuous relationships with city unions, which have protested long hours and understaffing during tense contract negotiations, as a reason for the vacancies. While Schaaf ushered in a building boom, Lindheim said the housing crisis in Oakland is worse than ever., They grossly under-performed targets of moderate housing and they greatly over-performed targets of market rate housing, Lindheim said. She worked extensively on Oakland Police Department reform, hiring more civilian staff and pushing through a plan to coordinate the Oakland Police Department with the Alameda County Sheriff's Department, to increase the number of officers patrolling Oakland. Which Bay Area city is best for you? And while crime in Oakland dipped to some of its lowest levels early in Schaafs tenure, the spike in violent crime is at an all-time high for the first time in nearly a decade. We think it isnt surprising for you guys to learn that Libby Schaaf is into charities work. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Despite voters suggesting a different form of leadership, Schaaf said she hopes residents will remember her as a fighter. var today = new Date(); Oakland is a challenging city to govern, said Doug Linney, a political consultant in the East Bay. We created Oakland's first Department of Transportation, 311 Call Center, Infrastructure Bond Program, and Equity-driven Paving Plan, which delivered Oakland's all-time record for roads replaced 100 miles in 3 years! During her tenure, Oakland has undergone an economic revitalization and building boom, as well as cut gun violence in half. has a bold reparations 17 cars broken into on a single night in this San Francisco neighborhood. This is the gem of Oakland and its completely trashed, the woman said, pointing to the people sleeping on the street. It is a human right.". She holds a B.A. Libby Schaaf. I believe all observers, regardless of their backgrounds, should be able to see that Schaaf has failed. Elizabeth Beckman Schaaf (born November 12, 1965) is an American politician who served as the 50th Mayor of Oakland, California from 2015 to 2023. Meet Mayor Libby Schaaf. An estimated 60% or more are Black. It also lays out her political achievements and failures as the citys 50th mayor for the past eight years. In addition to repaving, Schaaf created a Department of Transportation and a 311 system that residents can call to report potholes and damaged roads. But there were other problems that have proven far more difficult to repair. For the first time in recent history, Oakland will have a progressive mayor and a progressive-majority City Council the outcome of the November election, which Ross called a repudiation of Schaafs time in office. In January, Oakland will swear in a new mayor, the 51st in its history. Bas said council members regularly hear from residents about their frustration with the lack of services trash, illegal dumping and sanitation and said its been a significant problem. Schaaf acknowledged her relationships with unions, calling herself a hard ass about the citys financial health and saying she prioritized paying down the citys pension obligations and creating a rainy-day fund in hopes of avoiding future layoffs. Schaaf said building housing at all income levels is key if the city hadnt, high income workers would have taken over the existing naturally affordable units. While nearly 20,000 housing units have been built in her time, homelessness also grew by 131% since 2015. Polling showed Schaaf was widely popular in 2015, the year after her first mayoral election. In 2016, Schaaf wrote a voter-approved $600 million bond measure that helped fund street improvements. [21], In June 2015, Mayor Schaaf announced the formation of Oakland's first Department of Transportation. Then theyll need to lift us up. Samantha Laurey, Visual Intern / The Chronicle. I hope Im remembered as someone who fought for Oakland as we experienced this huge moment of growth, Schaaf said. She also built and ran the first centralized volunteer program for Oakland public schools at the Marcus Foster Institute. [31], Schaaf alerted city residents to imminent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in February 2018, earning criticism from some federal authorities. A year later, her Drake-backed fried chicken chain opens first Oakland restaurant this week. De La Fuentes entry into the campaign, the division in the business community and the lack of a potent Schaaf-backed political operation cost Taylor the race. The cabin community idea was really unheard of at the time, said Moss, who also served as Schaafs chief of staff for the first two years of her mayoralty. 31. She repaved 161 miles of the citys crumbling roadways, but residents complain about the amount of trash on city streets in the span of one year, enough garbage landed on city streets to cover the length of 13 football fields. 16. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Unless the two groups can somehow coalesce, labor leaders will continue to fill the political vacuum. Some political experts say Oakland is a tough city to be in charge of balancing the different interests of residents. If Im looking at (her) legacy, I dont think she left her successor in a particularly great spot, Lindheim added. [1] Schaaf won the November 4, 2014 Oakland mayoral election in the 14th round in ranked choice voting with 62.79% of the vote. He pointed out the citys facing the highest levels of crime and violence in a decade, a huge increase in homelessness, a potential financial collapse and the loss of more than a third of Oaklands Black population. I dont know whats fair, but my sense is that people are pretty unhappy at the moment with the state of issues in Oakland.. Schaaf said the biggest challenges from her time in office are the problems she inherited from previous administrations from deteriorating roads with no plans to fix them to a non-existent. In the citys housing element from 2015 to 2023, which lays out how a city will plan for new homes, Oakland reached 174% of its goal for above-moderate-rate housing. She led Oakland through not easy times.. San Francisco Mayor London Breed (left) and Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf hold baseballs before a between the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland As last year at at Oracle Park in San Francisco. Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf hugs supporter Tiffany Lacsado as Madison Lacsado Harvell, 5, looks on during Schaafs final news conference as mayor. Libby Schaaf hosts her final news conference as Oakland mayor this month. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Borenstein: Libby Schaafs devastating political fall from grace, Borenstein: Oakland school trustee seated even though he probably lost election, Borenstein: Seeno v. Seeno becoming building empires War of the Roses. Schaaf said the biggest challenges from her time in office are the problems she inherited from previous administrations from deteriorating roads with no plans to fix them to a non-existent response to homelessness. He pointed out the citys facing the highest levels of crime and violence in a decade, a massive increase in homelessness, a potential financial collapse and the loss of more than a third of Oaklands Black population. Some of the highest vacancy rates are in key city functions about 30% of jobs in the building department are open and nearly a third of positions in the transportation department are open. We must pay close attention to both the people and policies who get support at the upcoming city elections. Her political allies on the council when she became mayor were all eventually ousted or opted not to seek reelection. Bloomberg Daybreak, anchored from New York, Boston, Washington DC and San Francisco provides listeners with everything they need to know. built in 1966 and renovated in 1996, has been plagued by noted sewage issues over recent years, lighting problems and low attendance. Its a humanitarian crisis, Schaaf said. In addition to that, she's a former member of the Oakland City Council. Here Are Four Ways to Spot Greenwashing, The School Board Queen Endorsed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, The School Board Queen: How a Florida Mom Is Shaking Up US Education, The Idea of Parental Rights in Education Goes Back to the 1950s, Ryan Salame Invested Big In ASmall Town, Now Its Tangled Up In FTXs Fallout(Podcast), Fight to Regulate Crypto atCrossroads as Ripple Ruling Looms. At best, her tenure has been mixed, said Jim Ross, a political consultant based in Oakland. As Schaaf exits on Jan. 2, she leaves behind a crime-ridden city with inadequate police staffing, unfunded retirement liabilities that have grown from about $2.4 billion a decade ago to $3. And respondents were overwhelmingly concerned with gun violence 97% said its an extremely or very serious problem, and 88% said the same about crime. Schaafs model is now used in other cities, said Tomiquia Moss, the CEO of All Home, a nonprofit that focuses on addressing homelessness as a regional issue. When elected in 2014, Schaaf benefitted from following Jean Quan and Ron Dellums, two largely ineffectual mayors, said veteran political consultant Larry Tramutola. Our Ceasefire Partnership gave Oakland its lowest 5-year homicide rate on record. As Schaaf exits on Jan. 2, she leaves behind a crime-ridden city with inadequate police staffing, unfunded retirement liabilities that have grown from about $2.4 billion a decade ago to $3 billion in 2021, and general fund budget shortfalls projected to reach more than $100 million in each of the next two fiscal years. It was her most-consequential failing. They are literally the antithesis of everything we say we stand for. 311 is an easy-to-remember telephone number that connects you with highly trained City of Oakland Call Center representatives who are ready to help you with requests for non-emergency City services. "My other disappointment is I was able to budget for a police force of nearly 800 officers, but never actually able to reach that staffing number," she said. This bloated police budget has done nothing to improve public safety; in fact,annual homicides increased from 93 when Schaaf took office to 133 in 2021. That dissatisfaction also extended to the citys leadership 42% of the polls respondents rated Schaafs performance poorly. A mayor who serves all of Oakland, not just the wealthy few, someone with the courage to undo the Schaaf painful legacy and allow Oakland to heal. "And for me it was to fix the damn pot holes!" In 2015, 68% of likely voters had a favorable impression of Schaaf, according to the chamber poll. Indeed, shes a millionaire. Rep. Katie Porter, a Democratic star . As Schaaf, a moderate, leaves office, the progressive Sheng Thao is preparing to take over. Before the sun rose on a brisk February morning, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf looked around Lake Merritt and counted the number of people sleeping on the street for the bieennial point-in-time count. Libby had disappointed so many people., De La Fuente finished a distant third. As a politician, she needs to maintain a healthy image in the crowd. She has provided coverage on wildfires, mass shootings, the fatal shooting of police officers and massive floods in the North Bay. Miss Manners: Must I resist my urge when I'm told to have a blessed day? Since 2015, the first year of Schaafs mayoral tenure, Oakland residents have become increasingly pessimistic about the city. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions. [8] She then became the program director[9] for the Marcus A. Major companies, including Credit Karma, Blue Shield and PG&E, expanded to Oakland, further boosting the citys economy. Schaaf presided over a city that has gone through a complete transformation, from a housing boom to exploding homelessness. In addition to repaving, Schaaf created a Department of Transportation and a 311 system that residents can call to report potholes and damaged roads. libby schaaf eye problems. Stop criminalizing and dehumanizing our unhoused neighbors. Schaaf said building housing at all income levels is key if the city hadnt, high-income workers would have taken over the existing naturally affordable units. In Oaklands weak-mayor governance structure, the mayor can propose a financial and policy agenda, but the ultimate power rests with the eight-member City Council. Some political experts say Oakland is a tough city to be in charge of balancing the different interests of residents. If we follow her actions, we think we can feel she loves what she does. Schaaf said the biggest challenges from her time in office are the problems she inherited from previous administrations from deteriorating roads with no plans to fix them to a non-existent response to homelessness. We achieved OPD's long-sought compliance with court-ordered reforms with our new Police Commission. When Nathan, a 9-year-old boy she was tutoring, ran across the gym to greet her with a hug, she recognized that her real joy was in public service. Her "17K/17K Housing Plan" has helped increase Oakland's affordable housing . Official Website for the City of Oakland | Mayor Sheng Thao. Further, she is the mayor of Oakland, California, as of 2020. Two sports teams left the city and a third, the Oakland As, has threatened to leave if their proposed multi-billion dollar waterfront ballpark and surrounding development doesnt move forward. She has made good on the promise to invest in police: The Oakland Police Departments share of the Oakland General Fund ballooned from $194 million per year, in the last budget put forward by Schaaf's predecessor, to $353 million per year in 2022-23 an 80% increase in just eight years. Foster Educational Institute in 1995, creating and running a new volunteer program for the Oakland Unified School District. Schaaf spent her entire first day as mayor in 2015 at the Oakland Police Department, demonstrating tone-deafness to the people at a time when thousands of Oaklanders were in the streets protesting OPD shootings of Black folks. "I have every confidence that the A's and the new mayor, Sheng Thao, will get this deal done," she said. Moreover, she never capitalized on her early popularity and the bully pulpit of the mayoral post to build an effective fund-raising and grassroots political operation that could be mobilized in support of political allies. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. I dont know whats fair, but my sense is that people are pretty unhappy at the moment with the state of issues in Oakland.. As she comes to the end of her eight-year term, the Oakland native said her passion has always been about helping kids. Oaklands next mayor is eager to hit the ground running. Schaaf has also been a strong advocate for locating a ballpark for the A's at Howard Terminal in the Port of Oakland. Some leaders have pointed to Schaafs tenuous relationships with city unions, who have protested long hours and understaffing during tense contract negotiations, as a reason for the vacancies. I was surprised by the lack of willingness or interest to run for office in Oakland, Schaaf said. Required fields are marked *. Schaaf said if she could go back in time to 2015, when she first took office, she would give herself one piece of advice: That homelessness would explode the way that it did and that its not just the countys responsibility, its everyones responsibility, Schaaf said. [32][33] She responded, "I was sharing information in a way that was legal and was not obstructing justice, and it was an opportunity to ensure that people were aware of their rights." Stop doing the bidding of the corporate landlords and wealthy developers. We cannot afford another year of the Schaaf neoliberal nightmare. Schaaf, 54, grew up in Oaklands District 4, where she attended Head-Royce School and Skyline High School. The outcomes and conditions in the city arent as positive as anybody would like. Show this thread. A key component of Schaafs strategy to addressing homelessness is the community cabin program, which moves unhoused people into temporary structures. Schaaf failed to expand MACRO, a model for mental health emergency support to Oaklanders that does not lead with law enforcement, and which could free up officers to handle actual crime. As Schaaf prepares to leave office on Jan. 2, still keeping her next move quiet, political experts say her tenure and her success as the citys leader is mostly mixed. The persistent level of vacancies that Oakland has had in key departments, like public works, planning and building, has really impacted Oaklands ability to provide the basic services, Bas said. When it came to the mayoral race this year, Schaafs popularity was so tarnished that business leaders who shared her concern about a labor takeover of city government failed to unify behind a candidate, and some dismissed Taylors candidacy because he was endorsed by Schaaf. Say we stand for with our new police Commission she has provided coverage on wildfires, shootings! 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Unified School District where she attended Head-Royce School and Skyline High School and local news compliance court-ordered... In Oakland, further boosting the citys economy in half fill the political vacuum Schaaf... Be in charge of balancing the different interests of residents, lighting and. That Schaaf has also been a strong advocate for locating a ballpark for the citys.! Isnt surprising for you guys to learn that Libby Schaaf is into work! Troubled municipal finances some political experts say Oakland is a tough city to be sure Schaaf... Stand for the lack of willingness or interest to run for office in Oakland, Schaaf shouldered more than!, expanded libby schaaf eye problems Oakland, further boosting the citys 50th mayor for the city of Oakland and its completely,! First Oakland restaurant this week has increased by 130 % also grew by 131 % since.. I 'm told to have a blessed day distant third hit the ground running in.