Drive for Justice Voter Registration Drive After Slap in the Face by Oakland City Council

A slap in the face...

On Tuesday, June 23, five council members pushed through a budget devoid of public support and in direct opposition to the thousands of people in Oakland calling on them to divest from police forces and invest in programs that really keep us safe.

The budget pushed forward by Councilmembers McElhaney, Taylor, Gallo, and Reid was brought to the council in the late afternoon of the 22nd, which they fast-tracked by manipulating procedures put in place due to COVID. And in a shocking move, Council President Rebecca Kaplan joined the moderates on the council to force through this pro-police, anti-public services budget.

After nearly unanimous public comment from thousands of constituents over multiple weeks calling for a cut of $150 million (50%) from the Oakland Police Budget — backed up by recommendations from the Oakland Police [Oversight] Commission — the alternate budget passed by Kaplan and the four moderates only cuts $2.5 million from OPD — less than 1%.

This Sunday join APTP and our Defund the Police Coalition partners for a caravan to Libby and the 5 City Council members who voted against the peoples will to #DefundOPD!

Passing this budget was the final straw in a series of underhanded tactics. As evident in the public comments, voters are ready to vote out the so-called equity caucus.

OPD will receive almost half of the general fund in this year’s budget, as it does every year. In this budget, and historically, Oakland spends more on unauthorized police overtime than on public libraries, parks and recreation, and the Department of Race and Equity combined. And that does not include all the police misconduct lawsuits residents have to pay for.

This is an absolute affront to Black and Brown communities in Oakland, particularly for leaders who have called for deeply democratic changes to the City budget, reflective of the obvious need to end police violence and invest in our neighborhoods. It is also disrespectful to the tens of thousands of Oaklanders who have invested countless hours in the streets and at City Council and Police Commission meetings to make their concerns, wishes and demands known.

Oakland City Council has forgotten their job is to work for the people and it is the people whom they answer to. Come out this Sunday to remind them who they work for.


What: Drive for Justice Voter Registration Drive
When: Sunday, June 28 from 2 to 5pm
Where: We'll stage at 6 different TBD locations, and caravan to Libby's and 5 council members' homes — RSVP or check the Facebook event for updates on how to join in person or online