The Return of Measure U!

Editor’s Note: This is not the last action needed for Measure U. There will be at least one more agenda item before the Finance Committee, as well as at least one before the full Council. So more opportunities will be available.

We’re back! After a holiday break, and with a new Council, the Finance Department is going to be coming back to the Finance Committee this month, as directed, to propose a date for bond sales in 2025. The problem is, they are likely to propose 2026! Or even 2027, for bond sales. This would be disastrous. As you know, Measure U is the primary vehicle for OakDOT funding for street safety safety upgrades. If Finance doesn’t sell the bonds, OakDOT doesn’t get the money that Oaklanders are already paying in ther property tax bills.

We all need to act! This action is very straightforward, but must be done this weekend. We are asking everyone to either:

A) sign up to speak

(remotely or in person) at the Finance Committee meeting, which starts at 9:30 AM Tuesday the 11th. You must sign up by Monday morning at 9! Use this link, for Agenda Item 3 (Measure KK status and expenditures): https://oakland.granicusideas.com/meetings/8523-star-finance-and-management-committee-on-2025-02-11-9-30-am/agenda_items

Click on "Sign in to speak" next to Item 3
If you can't speak, click on "comment” and leave a written comment.
For remote sign up, you must sign up more than 24 hours in advance.
If you can go in person, you can sign up within 10 minutes after start of meeting.

B) contact the entire City Council

Send an email to the whole Council with your Council Member in the To line, and the rest of the recipients in CC. Here is the contact information for all Council Members:

• Zac Unger, District 1: zunger@oaklandca.gov (510) 238-7001
• Rebecca Kaplan, interim D2: district2@oaklandca.gov
• Carroll Fife, District 3: cfife@oaklandca.gov (510) 238-7003
• Janani Ramachandran, District 4: jramachandran@oaklandca.gov (510) 238-7004
• Noel Gallo, District 5: ngallo@oaklandca.gov (510) 238-7005
• Kevin Jenkins, District 6: kjenkins@oaklandca.gov (510) 238-7006
• Ken Houston, District 7: khouston@oaklandca.gov (510) 238-7007
• Rowena Brown, Council Member At-Large: atlarge@oaklandca.gov (510) 238-7008

What to say:

Insist that Council support setting a date for Measure U bond sales, by June 2025, or earlier. This would fund the OakDOT paving and street safety program. Measure U is the primary way for OakDOT to improve safety on our streets. Without it, other costs will pile up:

1. Measure U is the primary means to fund street safety work in Oakland. And these techniques work!
2. Oakland has over 30 traffic deaths and hundreds of serious injuries annually, with awful personal costs borne by these victims, their families and their communities
3. Cash settlements to these families cost millions every year
4. The costs of emergency response are disproportionately due to traffic violence
5. The deteriorating condition of the roads makes repaving costs rise over time
6. Inflation due to delay makes every project cost much more
7. We cannot even spend grant money without the matching funds from Measure U
8. Safety can not wait for a better time. The better time is now.

Thanks for all you do. We’ll have a recap of the General Meeting, and opportunities to mobilize, coming out early in the week. Until then, light up the phones!