Dear Timothy,

Spring has arrived, full of good weather and positive energy beaming throughout the Town! We hope you celebrate all the vibrancy our beautiful small businesses and community spaces have to offer by being outside and in community with your neighbors. There are plenty of opportunities to try something new this season – such as volunteering at a park clean-up for Earth Day, attending a City Council Committee meeting to weigh in on policy issues, or attending a local comedy show or blues night.  Trying new things that are innovative yet pragmatic continues to be a guiding principle for our team – especially as our City hits tough financial times, we can’t afford to simply do the same things over and over again that don’t yield results. We will keep pushing for the needs of our communities and build on this work together.  

Councilmember Ramachandran with Hamza, owner of Mohka House in Dimond. Check out their interview here.

Last week, Oakland’s Finance Department announced that the City is facing a projected $175 million deficit in our General Purpose Fund, and a $45 million deficit in our restricted funds. This drop in revenue is largely driven by a precipitous decline in the Real Estate Transfer Tax (RETT) caused by interest rates set by the Federal Reserve, and also, to a lesser degree, a decline in Business License Tax and Sales Tax. The increase of expenditures is largely driven by OPD overspending by approximately $25.6 million. Learn more in the Finance Department’s presentation to the Finance and Management Committee presented last week. 

This is critical information that City leaders must grapple with as we head towards our Mid-Cycle budget season in the coming months, where there will many cuts made to existing budgeted programs and positions. In response to this report, City Administrator Jestin Johnson announced a temporary hiring freeze on most non-sworn vacant city positions until the mid-cycle budget is passed. Councilmember Ramachandran remains committed to advocating for maintaining core city services, data-driven budget decisions and fiscal prudence, and generating city revenue through commerce and tourism – which remain inextricably linked to improving public safety. For a primer on Oakland’s budget basics, check out this presentation.  

Councilmember Ramachandran and the D4 team continue to prioritize public safety as our upmost priority. We have been collaborating closely with OPD on targeted initiatives to combat retail theft, break ins, and property crime – and will continue to identify data-driven ways to improve public safety. Here are a few recent updates: 

What are City Council Committees? Councilmember Ramachandran breaks it down in this short video.

The next full City Council meeting is Tuesday, April 16th at 3:30pm. Council Committee meetings are held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month. Below is the April 9th committee schedule. 

To make public comment at meetings, check out our one-page guide here. If you need help signing up to make public comment, contact D4 Legislative Aide Rebecca Dean rdean@oaklandca.gov for assistance. 

Last month, Councilmember Ramachandran introduced legislation that protects diverse families from discrimination based on family structure, including polyamorous families, single parent families, families where grandparents raise children, and other non-nuclear structures. It passed through committee and upon first reading to the entire Council. We thank several advocacy organizations for their leadership in proposing this legislation, including OPEN, PLAC, the Modern Family Institute, and the Harvard Law School LGBTQ+ Advocacy Clinic. This groundbreaking legislation, introduced in conjunction with the Berkeley City Council, is the first of its kind on the West Coast, and ensures that families will not be discriminated against in the real estate market or city services.   

Councilmember Ramachandran at City Hall with family and relationship diversity advocates

Help keep our Town looking its best! Individuals or community groups can apply for up to $1000 to fund beautification projects including tree planting, community gardens, graffiti removal, and murals. Applications are due by May 31st, more info here. 

Neighborhood Councils  

Oakland’s Neighborhood Councils have regular meetings that are run by neighbors and attended by OPD Community Resource Officers. Participants discuss public safety and other local issues. 

Other Neighborhood Associations

Although not organized by the city, these groups serve similar functions. If you are part of any that you would like us to share, please let us know!

Join in a weekly walk of MacArthur between 35th and High Street to create a shared sense of community safety and support local businesses, every Tuesday at 6:00pm at the Laurel Ace Hardware parking lot. For more information, email feetonthestreet@gmail.com.  

Free or Low-Cost Events in District 4 

Come enjoy delicious bites and stroll the village during the Montclair Restaurant Walk on Tuesday, April 23rd from 5:00 – 8:00pm. Join neighbors in celebrating our local restaurants and enjoy live entertainment along the way. Tickets can be purchased here.  

Blood, Sweat, and Perseverance Event: Blood Drive, Free Group Workout, and Massages  

Sunday, April 7th from 10:00am – 2:00pm, Polo’s Gym (2819 MacArthur) 

Healthy Cookbook Launch with D4 Author  

Sunday, April 28th from 4:00 – 6:00pm, Ultimate Grounds Cafe (4225 Park Blvd) 

Join Councilmember Ramachandran for a chat with D4 author Joaninha as she launches her new cookbook! 

Free tax Preparation Assistance with AC-OCAP:  Tax season is coming to a close! If you still need support, call 510-238-4911 or visit the West Oakland Public Library on Tuesday to Thursday from 10:00am – 4:00pm until April 11th. 

Town Camp: Oakland Parks and Rec is hosting an 8-week camp experience for youth aged 5-12 years old focused on sports, STEAM, cooking, nature, and local field trips. Recreation centers across the city will be participating – sign up here. 

City Launches Digital Kiosk Program: Oakland will be launching interactive kiosks at select locations throughout the city to help visitors navigate city services, transit information, local dining and shopping locations, and more. Check out the locations coming soon. 

Small Business Support: The City’s Department of Economic and Workforce Development has a Neighborhood Business Assistance Center which can offer resources for starting a business or maintaining including support with navigating the permitting process and applying for small loan programs. 

Vegetation Management Along Highway 13: CalTrans will be closing lanes on northbound State Route 13 from Interstate 580 to State Route 24 to accommodate fuel reduction work, beginning in April 2024 and continuing throughout the summer. This work will remove low-hanging limbs and thin dense forestation and shrubbery as part of the vegetation management strategy in the East Bay. Highway Patrol will be present to guide motorists – please drive carefully. 

Councilmember Ramachandran with Oakland Roots soccer players in their new team jerseys. The Roots are officially slated to play at the Oakland Coliseum in the 2025-2026 season!

Councilmember Ramachandran's Office Hours

Office Hours are held on Zoom on alternate Saturday mornings. Sign-up for a time slot to chat with Councilmember Ramachandran here.