The Oaklandside / June 12, 2023
Oakland City Councilmembers are offering up changes to Mayor Sheng Thao’s proposed budget—but not big changes.
The proposal Thao introduced last month is shaped by a historic $360 million deficit in the city’s general fund. To cancel out the deficit without laying off city workers, Thao wants to freeze hundreds of vacant positions and reduce spending across city departments. Under Thao’s proposed budget, residents could face longer wait times for some emergency services, see less money for arts and cultural events, and find it harder to obtain help from violence interrupters and life coaches.
