Voters Defeat Council's LLAD Scam!

Voters in a mail-in ballot rejected a 42 percent raise of the so-called landscape and lighting tax (LLAD). Automatic and permanent "inflation" hikes were also defeated.

The voters defeated the city council's arrogant demands for more money. Basic infrastructure and public safety are the first duties of city government. The voters told the council to get budget priorities straight.

The voters defeated the city council's bait-and-switch tactic. Time and again, the council has said, give us this tax and we will give you this benefit. It was a lie with Measure Y – we have fewer police today, not more. It was a lie with Measure Q – the council cut general fund positions, and now it wants even more money for a grandiose new main library. And it was a lie with the LLAD increase – even official documents admitted that only 45 cents of every new dollar would go to park and lighting services.

The voters defeated a regressive parcel tax. The soaking of struggling owners of small homes in under-policed, unsafe neighborhoods throughout Oakland must end. Neighborhood activist Jacquee Castain and all of her neighbors, many of whom are senior citizens, voted no. "It would be different if it was the only new tax we were being asked to pay." (Oakland Tribune, June 29, 2006)

Actually, our only word of the outcome of the LLAD vote is a newspaper report quoting unnamed "city officials." Believe it or not, a private San Ramon firm, Francisco & Associates, counted the votes. Apparently, the vote against the LLAD increase was too strong for this firm, which has enjoyed more than half a million dollars in City contracts over the last five years, to produce a majority for the increase. According to an out-of-town newspaper, the vote was 53 percent to 47 percent. (Oroville Mercury-Register, June 29) But while unnamed "city officials" talk to the press in general terms, the public has not been given the specific numbers.

Voters have a right to know the vote tally! Since the votes are weighted by property category (single family homes, commercial properties, etc.), voters want the results by category. Is Oakland a democracy or a banana republic?

In addition to the vote tally, Oakland residents have a right to know how much money was spent campaigning on this issue. How much did the City and Waste Management spend stuffing our garbage bills with propaganda for the LLAD last winter? How much was raised in large contributions from City-funded developer Phil Tagami and others?

Already the figurehead chairperson of the defeated Yes campaign is warning of severe cutbacks in park and street light maintenance.

This is gangster-style extortion. The council needs to be told: The issue is priorities, not a lack of money. After all, the council was only going to spend 45 cents of every new dollar on parks and lighting. The council had planned to grab the other 55 cents for anything it likes, to be spent via the general fund.

Councilmembers, public safety and basic infrastructure come first. Give Oakland a full police department of at least 1,100 officers. Keep the parks neat and clean. Restore the Park Ranger unit to the 20 officers it had just a few years ago.

Councilmembers, after you do these things, then maybe you can play with subsidies to favored developers. Maybe then you can hand out piles of small, uncoordinated grants to private agencies for social programs.

Release the vote tally in full!
Release the campaign finance figures!
No park cutbacks!
Staff Oakland with 1,100 police and 20 Park Rangers!