Quan's Misinformation on Violence Funds

On June 10, 2006 councilmember Quan told a forum on violence prevention, "Measure Y just started on July 1. It's literally not two weeks old." (Oakland Tribune, July 14, 2006) She was referring to spending of the money designated for social programs.

Quan is literally wrong. The City's Measure Y update of Nov. 1, 2005 reported, "The Mentoring Center signed a contract for $491,241 for continuation and enhancement of Pathways to Change, a diversion program for repeat juvenile offenders on probation that provides intensive case management and support."

In addition, the Y update report of Dec. 16, 2005 disclosed, "As part of the City of Oakland's Measure Y investment, funding was set aside to support training in the principles and practices of restorative justice."

Furthermore, a report on Measure Y from ten months ago lists more than a million additional dollars of Measure Y money for programs "previously approved by the city council" including a "Second Step Violence Program" in the schools and "Peer Mediation." (Report from Dept. of Human Services, Sept. 13, 2005)

Nor is Measure Y the whole story on anti-violence programs. In the past several years the City, the school system, and the County have spent tens of millions of dollars on social programs addressing violence. Indeed, part of the problem is that grants are not coordinated for effectiveness. Instead, they are dribbled out as political pork.

Was councilmember Quan merely uninformed about all these expenditures? We cannot say, but Quan keeps promoting social programs while lawlessness in Oakland keeps rising. Quan cannot let us learn from experience; no, we must wait and suffer, because just now several million more program dollars are starting out the door.

Social programs have a place when criminals know they will likely be caught and face punishment. In that context, and only in that context, offers of counseling and job training might have an effect.

Unfortunately, Oakland does it backwards and half-*ssed. The City has only half a police department. The street punks – who are both adults and youth, by the way – know, and they show youth on the edge, that they can get away with disruption and drug dealing all over the flatlands. In that context, the social workers are irrelevant and regarded with disdain.

It does not matter to Quan. She and other councilmembers shovel grants out to their favored agencies, like the infamous embezzling group, PUEBLO.

On the other hand, Quan expressed contempt for spending money on police, saying "Police may be a priority, but not to give more money" at the council's Nov. 29, 2004 budget workshop, held three weeks after voters passed Measure Y.

When writing Measure Y, Quan and other supporters insisted that the City must simultaneously hire a few officers and throw dollars at a scattering of ineffectual social programs. "If we don't compromise, we'll get nothing," said Quan during the campaign. (Oakland Tribune, Oct. 10, 2004) Upon successfully cajoling voters to approve Measure Y, council president Ignacio De La Fuente said, "I think people knew that Measure Y was a very balanced approach." (San Jose Mercury News, Nov. 4, 2004)

Law-abiding Oakland residents have paid the Measure Y parking tax surcharge since Jan. 1, 2005 (that's right, 2005 not 2006.) We have paid a year of parcel taxes. The council just renewed the Measure Y parcel tax even though the number of police has declined. The council has done nothing to commit Oakland to the 1,100 police we need, but social program grants are flowing out the door. That is the situation covered up by councilmember Quan's false claim that the violence programs are "literally not two weeks old."