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Agenda Item
3 26-0686 Subject: Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-26 Third Quarter (Q3) Revenue And Expenditures (R&E) Report
From: Finance Department
Recommendation: Receive An Informational Report On Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-26 Third Quarter (Q3) Revenues And Expenditures (R&E) Results And Year-End Estimates For The General Purpose Fund (GPF, 1010), And Select Funds
My name is Ben Matlaw, and I'm a proud member of IFPTE Local 21 and a City of Oakland employee. I work on the Parking and Mobility Team in the Department of Transportation, where my colleagues and I work to generate revenue for the City by pricing and enforcing parking both thoughtfully and equitably. I'm commenting to ask this Council to fight for workers like me, for the residents we serve, and for the revenues we generate for the city.
The Oakland Police Department is on track to blow their overtime budget by $17 million this year. At the same time, our bargaining unit has the highest vacancy rate of any City union at 25%, while those of us who have been lucky enough to be hired by the city have not had a meaningful cost-of-living adjustment in years despite inflation rising 3.8% in the last year alone. These are not abstract numbers. The vacancy rate translates to services that don't get delivered, residents who don't get helped, and new revenue opportunities that don't get realized. While the stagnant wages lead to frustrated city employees looking for jobs in other municipalities with more competitive salaries just so they can afford to continue to live in Oakland.
As the City Council, you have the power to change this. I'm asking you to hold City Administration accountable: rein in OPD's unbudgeted overtime spending, and commit to fair wages for the city's civilian workforce. Invest in the teams that generate revenue and deliver essential city services. Thank you.
My name is Ben Matlaw, and I'm a proud member of IFPTE Local 21 and a City of Oakland employee. I work on the Parking and Mobility Team in the Department of Transportation, where my colleagues and I work to generate revenue for the City by pricing and enforcing parking both thoughtfully and equitably. I'm commenting to ask this Council to fight for workers like me, for the residents we serve, and for the revenues we generate for the city.
The Oakland Police Department is on track to blow their overtime budget by $17 million this year. At the same time, our bargaining unit has the highest vacancy rate of any City union at 25%, while those of us who have been lucky enough to be hired by the city have not had a meaningful cost-of-living adjustment in years despite inflation rising 3.8% in the last year alone. These are not abstract numbers. The vacancy rate translates to services that don't get delivered, residents who don't get helped, and new revenue opportunities that don't get realized. While the stagnant wages lead to frustrated city employees looking for jobs in other municipalities with more competitive salaries just so they can afford to continue to live in Oakland.
As the City Council, you have the power to change this. I'm asking you to hold City Administration accountable: rein in OPD's unbudgeted overtime spending, and commit to fair wages for the city's civilian workforce. Invest in the teams that generate revenue and deliver essential city services. Thank you.