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Agenda Item
S6.9 26-0363 Subject: Multi-Year Plan To Meet Voter-Mandated Staffing And Service Level
From: Finance Department
Recommendation: Receive An informational Report Addressing The Oakland Roadmap To Fiscal Health's Objective Of Presenting A Phased, Multiyear Plan To Move The City Toward Compliance With Voter Mandated Staffing, Service Levels And Other Agreements
It is critically important to fund OPL, as it is a safe space for kids to learn. It connects Oaklanders of all ages with knowledge, job opportunities, literacy services and so much more.
I am happy that Council is trying to compensate the Library for legally mandated Maintenance of Effort provisions which were previously unfulfilled. However, I have several concerns with this informational report.
1. The proposal would refund only $2.4 million of the $2.7 million Maintenance of Effort monies mandated for libraries. This would still fall short of the requirements of Ballot Measure C.
2. Given the City’s ongoing budget problems, this plan lacks meaningful specifics to guarantee that the return o Maintenance of Effort monies will occur as promised. As this plan seems very pie-in-the sky. The Council should urgently consider a more guaranteed plan.
3. I am concerned that failing to adequately fund the Maintenance of Effort monies over an extended period may make the entire parcel tax collection vulnerable to a legal and/or voter challenge and endanger future parcel tax measures the Council may put forth.
Thank you!
I am Kevin Covarrubias, Oakland Library Commissioner representing District 2, the Asian Branch, and the East Oakland branches.
I appreciate the Finance Department's engagement with the Maintenance of Effort provisions. The fact that this conversation is happening is a step in the right direction.
However, I want to underscore the legal urgency. Measure C, approved by more than 80% of Oakland voters, contains explicit language conditioning the city's authority to collect the parcel tax on maintaining a General Purpose Fund appropriation of at least $14.5 million. Rather than being an aspirational funding target, it is a prerequisite for the tax to be collected at all. Every year the city falls short, it increases Oakland's exposure to a legal challenge that could jeopardize the entire parcel tax and the primary funding source for 16 branches and three special collections.
The proposed plan to restore $2.4 million of the $2.7 million obligation is a start, but still falls short of compliance. I respectfully ask the Council to consider two things:
1. A concrete, time-bound commitment to full restoration with enforceable benchmarks.
2. A public acknowledgment of the compliance gap and the legal risk it creates for Oakland taxpayers.
Oakland's libraries are a voter-mandated service supported by a tax residents chose to pay, with conditions the city agreed to honor. The Commission urges the Council to treat this with the urgency it requires.
My name is Kathryn Sterbenc. I'm Advocacy chair of the Friends of the Oakland Public Library, and former chair of the City’s Library Commission.
It is critically important to fund libraries, as they are a safe space for kids to learn. They connect Oaklanders of all ages with knowledge, job opportunities, and other services. This is especially important in light of federal attempts to cut grants to libraries.
Oakland’s public library advocates are glad that the Council is engaging with the Maintenance of Effort provisions. However, this proposal would refund only $2.4 million of the $2.7 million Maintenance of Effort for libraries, which would still fall short of the requirements of the ballot measure.
The plan lacks meaningful specifics to guarantee that the return to Maintenance of Effort will occur as promised. The City has often struggled with long-term budget planning, and this plan seems primarily aspirational. The Council should proceed with urgency to make a more concrete plan.
Library advocates remain concerned that failing to adequately fund the Maintenance of Effort over an extended period of time may eventually make the entire parcel-tax collection vulnerable to a legal challenge.
More than 80% of Oakland voters voted yes for Measure C to collect these funds exclusively for library services. Don’t betray their trust. Demand a more concrete plan to return to Maintenance of Effort. Thank you.
It is critically important to fund OPL, as it is a safe space for kids to learn. It connects Oaklanders of all ages with knowledge, job opportunities, literacy services and so much more.
I am happy that Council is trying to compensate the Library for legally mandated Maintenance of Effort provisions which were previously unfulfilled. However, I have several concerns with this informational report.
1. The proposal would refund only $2.4 million of the $2.7 million Maintenance of Effort monies mandated for libraries. This would still fall short of the requirements of Ballot Measure C.
2. Given the City’s ongoing budget problems, this plan lacks meaningful specifics to guarantee that the return o Maintenance of Effort monies will occur as promised. As this plan seems very pie-in-the sky. The Council should urgently consider a more guaranteed plan.
3. I am concerned that failing to adequately fund the Maintenance of Effort monies over an extended period may make the entire parcel tax collection vulnerable to a legal and/or voter challenge and endanger future parcel tax measures the Council may put forth.
Thank you!
Honorable Members of the Council,
I am Kevin Covarrubias, Oakland Library Commissioner representing District 2, the Asian Branch, and the East Oakland branches.
I appreciate the Finance Department's engagement with the Maintenance of Effort provisions. The fact that this conversation is happening is a step in the right direction.
However, I want to underscore the legal urgency. Measure C, approved by more than 80% of Oakland voters, contains explicit language conditioning the city's authority to collect the parcel tax on maintaining a General Purpose Fund appropriation of at least $14.5 million. Rather than being an aspirational funding target, it is a prerequisite for the tax to be collected at all. Every year the city falls short, it increases Oakland's exposure to a legal challenge that could jeopardize the entire parcel tax and the primary funding source for 16 branches and three special collections.
The proposed plan to restore $2.4 million of the $2.7 million obligation is a start, but still falls short of compliance. I respectfully ask the Council to consider two things:
1. A concrete, time-bound commitment to full restoration with enforceable benchmarks.
2. A public acknowledgment of the compliance gap and the legal risk it creates for Oakland taxpayers.
Oakland's libraries are a voter-mandated service supported by a tax residents chose to pay, with conditions the city agreed to honor. The Commission urges the Council to treat this with the urgency it requires.
My name is Kathryn Sterbenc. I'm Advocacy chair of the Friends of the Oakland Public Library, and former chair of the City’s Library Commission.
It is critically important to fund libraries, as they are a safe space for kids to learn. They connect Oaklanders of all ages with knowledge, job opportunities, and other services. This is especially important in light of federal attempts to cut grants to libraries.
Oakland’s public library advocates are glad that the Council is engaging with the Maintenance of Effort provisions. However, this proposal would refund only $2.4 million of the $2.7 million Maintenance of Effort for libraries, which would still fall short of the requirements of the ballot measure.
The plan lacks meaningful specifics to guarantee that the return to Maintenance of Effort will occur as promised. The City has often struggled with long-term budget planning, and this plan seems primarily aspirational. The Council should proceed with urgency to make a more concrete plan.
Library advocates remain concerned that failing to adequately fund the Maintenance of Effort over an extended period of time may eventually make the entire parcel-tax collection vulnerable to a legal challenge.
More than 80% of Oakland voters voted yes for Measure C to collect these funds exclusively for library services. Don’t betray their trust. Demand a more concrete plan to return to Maintenance of Effort. Thank you.