51,581 / 65.9% Yes votes ...... 26,743 / 34.1% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Tax proceeds may be used only in accordance with the following objectives:

1. Expanding counseling and mentoring programs for at-risk youth;

2. Expanding after-school programs in the Oakland schools;

3. Expanding parent involvement programs in the Oakland schools;

4. Expanding violence prevention programs in the Oakland schools;

5. Expanding truancy enforcement programs to keep kids in schools;

6. Expanding early childhood intervention programs for children exposed to violence in the home at an early age;

7. Expanding programs to increase the number of police assigned to walking patrol;

8. Expanding specialized undercover police sting operations to target crime hot-spots and target drug dealing and gang activities;

9. Expanding the Oakland Police Department's Drug Taskforce to combat drug dealing and violence associated with the drug trade;

10. Establishing community-based specialist teams within the Oakland Police Department trained to deal with mental health, domestic violence, and conflict resolution;

11. Providing job training, employment opportunities, and other support services to parolees; and

12. Expanding job training and employment opportunities for young adults.

This measure requires that the City expend revenue from the tax in the following manner: forty percent (40%) for social programs in accordance with objectives 1 to 6 above; forty percent (40%) for police enforcement in accordance with objectives 7 to 10 above; and twenty percent (20%) for jobs and job training programs in accordance with objectives 11 to 12 above.

The parcel tax will be imposed by the City until June 30, 2014 and may be extended only with voter approval.

s/JOHN A. RUSSO
City Attorney

If adopted, this tax would be in effect for ten years and could be extended only upon voter approval.

Tax revenues can be expended only in accordance with the following objectives: (1) expanding counseling and mentoring programs for at-risk youth; (2) expanding afterschool programs in the Oakland schools; (3) expanding parent involvement programs in the Oakland schools; (4) expanding violence prevention programs in the Oakland schools; (5) expanding truancy enforcement programs to keep kids in schools; (6) expanding early childhood intervention programs for children exposed to violence in the home at an early age; (7) expanding programs to increase the number of police assigned to walking patrol; (8) expanding specialized undercover police sting operations to target crime hot-spots and target drug dealing and gang activities; (9) expanding the Oakland Police Department's Drug Taskforce to combat drug dealing and violence associated with the drug trade; (10) establishing community-based specialist teams within the Oakland Police Department trained to deal with mental health, domestic violence, and conflict resolution; (11) providing job training, employment opportunities, and other support services to parolees; and (12) expanding job training and employment opportunities for young adults.

Furthermore, the monies received from this tax must be expended as follows: forty percent (40%) for social programs in accordance with objectives 1 to 6 above; forty percent (40%) for police enforcement in accordance with objectives 7 to 10 above; and twenty percent (20%) for jobs and job training programs in accordance with objectives 11 to 12 above.

The Ordinance would allow the City Council to increase the tax rate by the same amount as the annual increases in the cost of living index in the San Francisco Bay Area, but in no event in excess of 5% per year. The Ordinance also provides an exemption from the tax for lowincome homeowners. To qualify for the exemption, homeowners must apply to the City for the exemption annually. The tax is based on a per parcel rate of $90 for single family residential parcels, $135 for small multiple unit residential parcels (2-4 units); $180 for large multiple residential parcels (5 or more units); $135 for commercial parcels; $135 for industrial parcels; $90 for rural parcels; and $90 for institutional parcels; each subject to annual adjustment.

A "Yes" vote is a vote in favor of authorizing the parcel tax.

A"No" vote is a vote against authorizing the parcel tax.

Measure R is submitted to the voters of the City in accordance with the Constitution of the State of California. In order to pass, a "Yes" vote by two-thirds (2/3) of the voters voting on the measure is required.

s/JOHN A. RUSSO
City Attorney

League of Women Voters Written Pros & Cons

Scroll Down to Measure R. Document also includes Pros & Cons of Measure 2, Measure A, Measure E, and other Oakland City Ballot Measures

LWV Oakland Pros & Cons Presentation
Wednesday, February 18, 2004 at 7 PM
EBMUD Training Room,
375 Eleventh Street.

East Bay Express

• Measure R: Antidote for Crime? - Oakland leaders are split on a tax initiative that funds both cops and social programs, with no guarantees that either can stop the killing. February 25, 2004

• Crime-fighting tax's methods divide Oakland - February 24, 2004
• City voters asked to cough it up; March 2 ballot would add the 14th parcel tax, raise two more, pushing the tab past $600 - February 15, 2004

• Mixed measure aimed at Oakland's criminals - February 10, 2004

• Tax measure embroiled in school closures - February 20, 2004
• Residents mixed on Measure R - February 17, 2004
• Anti-crime measure debated - 1/27/04

Stop the Violence-Yes on R

Citizens for Effective Crime Control - No on R

Please join Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Mayor Jerry Brown, Vice Mayor Nancy Nadel, Councilmembers Brooks, Chang, and Reid and Police Chief Richard Word in supporting YES on R.

s/BARBARA LEE
Member of Congress
s/JERRY BROWN
Mayor, City of Oakland
s/KIMBERLY MIYOSHI
Executive Director, Oakland Kids First!
s/BISHOP ROBERT L. JACKSON, Chairman,
Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce
s/TONY PAAP, President & CEO,
Children's Hospital & Research Center

The measure compiles a list of broad concepts for funding that is much too general to assure voters of any working solution to violence. Under this measure, it will be up to the City Council to allocate $110 million in additional taxes. Yet, there is no consensus on the Council, and no clear direction in the measure, on any coherent strategy. The likely result is a grab bag of "pork-barrel" projects, each spending money on its separate administration with no coordination among them.

At a time when a growing list of critical government services need more tax dollars, Oakland's city leaders need to outline a proven and coordinated approach for violence prevention before asking for a parcel tax to fund them. Many other cities have greatly reduced street violence by creating teams of social service providers and law enforcement officers that work together in the neighborhoods and with families. But the City leaders of Oakland have not yet examined what works or agreed on what would work best in Oakland.

Tell your City leaders to discuss, agree and come back with a specific and working strategy for violence prevention for the November election. Demand results, not more bureaucracy. Vote NO on Measure R.

s/IGNACIO DE LA FUENTE
President of City Council
s/DANNYWAN
Oakland City Councilmember
s/KEN LUPOFF
Oaklanders for Effective Crime Control

Nationally, Oakland has fewer than half the number of sworn officers as other cities of comparable size. Yet this measure does not require hiring additional officers. We need more training of officers to improve community policing techniques and to prevent police abuse, yet there is no requirement for more training. The language speaks only of expanding current police programs.

The measure contains no standards for the performance of the unnamed organizations that will receive funds. A citizen's oversight committee only verifies that money is spent. And the City Auditor examines only whether spending is "in accordance with the objectives stated". There are no stated performance objectives.

The taxing scheme for this measure is blatantly unfair. Whether a home is worth $200,000 or $2,000,000, all single- family homeowners pay an equal amount. And a multi-unit apartment complex, no matter how big, only pays a maximum of twice the amount that a single homeowner pays.

This measure was hurriedly written without the normal public-input process. A group hand-picked by a single councilmember, drafted the language in private meetings. The City Council then placed it on the ballot after only a twenty-minute public discussion.

We need a safety plan that offers real protection for our neighborhoods. Send this measure back to the Council to fix it and place it on the November ballot. Please join us in voting NO.

s/FRANK ROSE
s/KEN LUPOFF
Oaklanders for Effective Crime Control
s/GARY SIRBU

Violence prevention programs in Oakland work. For example, youth repeat offenders participating in Oakland's Pathways to Change program are 86% less likely to commit another crime. Measure R would allow us to expand crime reduction programs that show significant results.

Measure R will fund job training, mentoring, after-school, and violence prevention programs to stop crime before it starts and will also allow the Oakland Police Department to hire 30 additional community police officers.

Measure R ensures effectiveness and accountability by mandating detailed performance evaluations each year. Those programs that don't meet established standards won't be renewed.

Measure R specifically exempts low-income homeowners, to protect Oakland residents living on limited or fixed incomes.

Measure R was developed over 12 months by the Violence Prevention Working Group including Mayor Jerry Brown, Vice Mayor Nancy Nadel, Police Chief Richard Word, and three dozen prominent education and policy experts, youth and youth advocates, and religious and community leaders.

It's time to stop talking about crime and violence and start doing something about it. Our kids, our families, and our city can't wait any longer. Please join us in voting YES on R.

s/Mayor JERRY BROWN
s/Vice-Mayor NANCY NADEL
s/DON LINK, Chair,
Community Policing Advisory Board
s/TERRY SANDOVAL, National Women's
Political Caucus+Alameda North, PAC Chair
s/FRANK TUCKER, Tucker Technologies, Chair,
Oakland Workforce Investment Board