Oakland Considering Filing Bankruptcy (Hayward, Richmond: homes, transfer, schools)

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by 18Montclair

85% of Oakland's Budget goes to Employee Salaries-of which the Police take by far the biggest chunk.

I would add that this is true for most cities. It's time to reign in the salaries of civil servants...especially police & firemen, who have been getting larger raises than other civil servants for years.

[18Montclair]

Originally Posted by mysticaltyger

I would add that this is true for most cities. It's time to reign in the salaries of civil servants...especially police & firemen, who have been getting larger raises than other civil servants for years.

I couldnt agree more.

As an aside, The average federal employee makes $107,000 a year. That's incredibly excessive to me.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by 18Montclair

I couldnt agree more.

As an aside, The average federal employee makes $107,000 a year. That's incredibly excessive to me.

That 107K sounds a little high to me. By the way, I am a civil servant. I'm not trying to bite off the hand that feeds me. But I do think we need to make some sacrifices.

But the police and fire departments need to make the biggest sacrifices of all. Their departmental bugets are never cut anywhere near as much as other departments, and their greedy and too-powerful unions get outsize raises for them year in and year out, good times and bad.

It really makes me mad, as you can probably tell, lol.

Thanks for agreeing with me.

[18Montclair]

Originally Posted by BayDude

How so?

thanks.

Crime falling or rising is irrelevent? That's stupid.

By "vibrancy" you must mean "gunfire" lol. Yes.

You are not aware that today Jack London Square is the 2nd richest neighborhood in the entire city? A fete that would have been deemed unthinkable only 2 decades ago? That's a flatland area by the way, cause you probably don't know that.

Also, Id like to invite you to Oakland's monthly Art Murmur. It takes place in a part of town that was once run down but now is full of art galleries and the area has attracted artists and hipsters-very cool.

There is more going on btw. But being the sheltered BART expert you appear to be, all of this is irrelevent to you.

Try again. I live there.

No you don't. A real Oaklander wouldnt spew this sort of nonsense.

Sorry to hear your life is boring without the stimulation of death and crime. That's really sad.

Actually because I missed it so darn much, I moved back to Oakland from Tiburon a few months back and have absolutely no regrets. Thanks for your concern by the way.

If that's how you get your kicks you should really try moving to Sao Paulo Brazil and Johannesburg South Africa when Oakland gets too "boring" for you. If thats possible.

I have an apartment in Sao Paulo now, and have lived in South Africa. Do I know you?

I the choose the cops over criminals. Sorry.

Who said anyones choosing criminals? Its just that you need to put things into context before making assumptions.

[18Montclair]

Originally Posted by mysticaltyger

That 107K sounds a little high to me. By the way, I am a civil servant. I'm not trying to bite off the hand that feeds me. But I do think we need to make some sacrifices.

But the police and fire departments need to make the biggest sacrifices of all. Their departmental bugets are never cut anywhere near as much as other departments, and their greedy and too-powerful unions get outsize raises for them year in and year out, good times and bad.

It really makes me mad, as you can probably tell, lol.

Thanks for agreeing with me.

It sucks because mentioning the need for cops and firefighters to tighten their belts seems blasphemous to people. Meanwhile everyone else is furloghed at the whim of leaders.

[Puddy4LyF]

Originally Posted by 18Montclair

I couldnt agree more.

As an aside, The average federal employee makes $107,000 a year. That's incredibly excessive to me.

On NPR this morning, they had a panel discussion on Oakland's fiscal issue that included the vice mayor and others (along with call-ins which was interesting.)

They said that for each police officer, it costs the city of Oakland approximately $250,000 per fiscal year when you factor in training, salaries, and benefits.

Yikes.

[LakeShoreSoxGo]

As far as Im concerned, dying on the streets of Oakland is equivalent to living in a boring suburb. Except living in a boring burb is longer and more painful death.

So dying in the ghetto is the equivilant of having safe gang free streets, no graffitti, good schools, a proactive police force, and friendly neighbors who will watch your house for you when you go on vacation (in addition to the police being kind enough to swing by and make sure everything is ok).

I think I know why California is going down hill. When you got people like this voting, people who think dying in a ghetto is better than living in a suburb, youre not going to see responsible elected officials. What is sad is 18montclair probably isnt the only person in the bay who feels this way.

I don't think you live in the flats dude.

[BayDude]

Crime falling or rising is irrelevent? That's stupid.

You were talking about how how crime has'nt risen in oakland like it was a badge of honor. I wasn't talking about a "rise" in crime at all but the crime rate "as is". Its astronomical as it stands regardless of whether there was a "rise" or not.

You are not aware that today Jack London Square is the 2nd richest neighborhood in the entire city? A fete that would have been deemed unthinkable only 2 decades ago? That's a flatland area by the way, cause you probably don't know that.

Also, Id like to invite you to Oakland's monthly Art Murmur. It takes place in a part of town that was once run down but now is full of art galleries and the area has attracted artists and hipsters-very cool.

Thanks but I'll pass. I'm more concerned about getting out of this city than enjoying the sights and sounds.

No you don't. A real Oaklander wouldnt spew this sort of nonsense.

So in your view all people within a given city think alike? If not then they they don't live there? Logic fail.

Actually because I missed it so darn much, I moved back to Oakland from Tiburon a few months back and have absolutely no regrets.

Back to east oakland or montclair area that is?

I have an apartment in Sao Paulo now, and have lived in South Africa. Do I know you?

Whoa thats just scary.

Who said anyones choosing criminals? Its just that you need to put things into context before making assumptions.

You came up with some irrelevant babble about the "unfairness" of cops. And I told you of the real "unfairness" of criminals and how I choose the "unfairness" of the former over the latter 100% of the time. They are on opposite ends of the moral spectrum. One protects life and property the other steals and destroys life and property.

[18Montclair]

Originally Posted by LakeShoreSoxGo

So dying in the ghetto is the equivilant of having safe gang free streets, no graffitti, good schools, a proactive police force, and friendly neighbors who will watch your house for you when you go on vacation (in addition to the police being kind enough to swing by and make sure everything is ok).

You don't think people in urban centers do that for each other? Guess again.

Who needs boring? Certainly not me.

I enjoy walking up and down International in the Fruitvale district looking at all the stores-the fact that I speak spanish helps too. I highly recommed trying the food at Taqueria Sinaloa. Best Burrito Truck ever. I also recommend a store called National for knick-knacks for around your house. Its on International near 37th. I recently bought these 2 huge wooden carved vases that look expensive but only costed $30.

I like having the eritrean restaurants along Telegraph nearby-the kitfo at Addis Ababba is enchanting. That neighborhood is cool to walk around too.

I like shopping at the ethnic groceries across Oakland(I own several of them), stores that represent virtually every culture under the sun. I like the concentration of asian businesses in Chinatown and New Chinatown.

I really, really like being able to check out the art at the monthly get together held in Uptown. Its awesome and one gets a sense of the strong community being forged there. The art scene in Oakland is getting pretty big.

I also like taking relatives that visit to Durant Square, a place deep in East Oakland that is like an indoor swap meet. Its cool to stroll around there too.

Lastly, I like the sort of people who live in Oakland. The diversity. Rich, poor, black, white, yellow, brown etc. I like the politics of the residents, I like the crowded, densely populated neighborhoods.

I like that we have a great public transit system and that people actually use it.

We have our problems, but make no mistake-I love living here and can think of very few places that would move me away. None of those places is a suburb.

Not all people like living in tract homes that look like all the neighbors. Not everyone likes to drive from one strip mall to another shopping at box stores and eat at drive thrus all day. Not everyone wants to compete with their neighbors over who drives the nicer car or who has the better manicured lawn. And not everyone is enamored by being surrounded by one race or one socio-economic class. And not everyone wants to spend an hour driving to and from work everyday. That isnt living, its death as far as Im concerned.

[18Montclair]

Originally Posted by BayDude

You were talking about how how crime has'nt risen in oakland like it was a badge of honor. I wasn't talking about a "rise" in crime at all but the crime rate "as is". Its astronomical as it stands regardless of whether there was a "rise" or not.

Oh so if it falls it doesnt matter?

Thanks but I'll pass. I'm more concerned about getting out of this city than enjoying the sights and sounds.

Your loss. Ciao.

So in your view all people within a given city think alike?

They certainly don't generalize.

Back to east oakland or montclair area that is?

I dont live in Montclair, but what's wrong with that? Does a person living in Montclair not live in Oakland?

See this is another problem with people who complain about Oakland. They absolutely hate to talk about all of the excellent neighborhoods that Oakland has to offer.

LOL

Whoa thats just scary.

Sao Paulo is awesome and Cape Town is beautiful. You should check them out some time-perhaps when decide that there is more to life than being scared.

You came up with some irrelevant babble about the "unfairness" of cops. And I told you of the real "unfairness" of criminals and how I choose the "unfairness" of the former over the latter 100% of the time. They are on opposite ends of the moral spectrum.

babble indeed.

One protects life and property the other steals and destroys life and property.

Many believe(correctly or incorrectly) that the police has destroyed their lives. Of course, you don't want to hear that.