| City Council will be meeting this Tuesday, July 14th at 1:30pm to vote on the future of Oakland’s essential service workers, vulnerable tenants, and creation of a fair business tax structure. The pandemic continues to impact our people at all levels which can be alleviated with an updated fair business tax structure; we must continue to advocate for protections that will help support and sustain our communities long after the pandemic is over. It is time we plan for a just recovery that upholds our most vulnerable communities. Please join us at the City Council meeting and show support for the following three important policies that will help Lift Up Oakland’s small businesses, renters, and workers (full script available below). |
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| Thanks to our partners EBASE and friends at Unite Here 2850, city workers recently won emergency paid sick leave and the stand up of the Department of Workplace and Employment Standards (DWES). Tomorrow, City Council will vote on the “Right to Recall” policy which would require employers in the industries hit the hardest by the pandemic – restaurants, hospitality, and tourism – to rehire laid off workers before hiring new employees. Our essential workers deserve job security and a right to return to work as we transition back into slowly reopening our restaurants, hotels, and other places of business. |
| Before the pandemic reached California, the Bay Area faced a housing crisis that disproportionately impacted and put poor and working-class people of color at risk of homelessness. The pandemic added fuel to the fire and exposed corporate landlords and their racist business models that continue to target Black and Brown tenants who are having a difficult time to make ends meet despite the current ongoing health crisis. Help us urge City Council to make new amendments that will strengthen the Oakland Tenant Protection Ordinance by closing existing loopholes that allow landlords to harass, retaliate against, and exploit their tenants. As part of a just recovery, we need to keep our neighbors housed and build up on protections that will allow them a safe and secure housing situation past the pandemic. |
| Protect Oakland Renters by:1.) Signing the petition 2.) Tweeting at your city councilmembers 3.) Sending an email to your councilmember through ACCE Action by clicking here |
| A just transition will include creating revenue streams that will fund vital services. City Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas, Councilmember Sheng Thao, and Councilmember Dan Kalb are proposing a new equitable business tax model which would provide financial and tax relief for more than 24,000 small businesses and would raise approximately $27 million annually for vital city services. If the proposal is passed by the Council, Oakland voters would be able to vote on the new progressive and modernized city business tax this November 2020! Learn more about Lift Up Oakland and help us create a fair corporate tax system that will help bring in millions in funding for our communities in the long run. |
| Please support all three efforts by: 1.) Joining the zoom conference call via video or phone and making a public comment on Agenda Item 7 (worker protections), Item 8 (renter protections), and Item 12 (Fair Business Tax Structure) 2.) Submitting an E-Comment by Tuesday, July 14th by 1:25pm for Agenda Item 7 (worker protections), Item 8 (renter protections), and Item 12 (Fair Business Tax Structure) 3.) Contacting your councilmember (phone number and email provided below) and use the following script: “My name is ____________. I live in _______ [Oakland / your council District ]. I strongly support the proposed Item 7, the Right to Recall ordinance, Item 8, Stronger Tenant Protections and Item 12, proposal for an equitable city businesses tax model that will bring millions in funding to Oakland. We need to ensure that as we move towards how to resolve and move towards just recovery, that our workers are protected, our tenants in precarious housing don’t end up homeless, and we have the funding revenue to help care of all Oakland residents. Thank you Councilmember Nikki Bas, Councilmember Sheng Thao, President Pro-tem Dan Kalb for much of your leadership on these items as well as the many community organizations that have worked to ensure our most communities are protected.” |
| To Join – Video conference – please click on this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83620507498 at the noticed meeting time. – Phone – dial (669) 900-6833 and when prompted for Webinar ID press 836 2050 7498; If asked for a participant ID or code, press #. To Public Comment– Zoom video conference: click the “Raise Your Hand” button to request to speak when Public Comment is being taken on an eligible agenda item at the beginning of the meeting. You will be permitted to speak during your turn, allowed to comment, and after the allotted time, re-muted. Instructions on how to “Raise Your Hand” is available at: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/205566129 – Raise-Hand-In-Webinar – Phone, please call on one of the above listed phone numbers. You will be prompted to “Raise Your Hand” by pressing “*9” to speak when Public Comment is taken. You will be permitted to speak during your turn, allowed to comment, and after the allotted time, re-muted. Please unmute yourself by pressing *6. |
| Councilmembers to contact before the meeting: – District 1 – Dan Kalb – 510-238-7001 – [email protected] – @DanKalb – District 2 – Nikki Fortunato Bas – 510-238-7002 – [email protected] – @nikki4oakland – District 3 – Lynette Gibson McElhaney – 510-238-7003 – [email protected] – @LynetteGM – District 4 – Sheng Thao – 510-238-7004 – [email protected] – @Sheng4Oakland – District 5 – Noel Gallo – 510-238-7005 – [email protected] – @NoelGallo5 – District 6 – Loren Taylor – 510-238-7006 – [email protected] – @lorenmtaylor – District 7 – Larry Reid – 510-238-7007 – [email protected] – At-large Rep – Rebecca Kaplan – 510-238-7007 – [email protected] – @Kaplan4Oakland |
| We hope you will join us today at the city council meeting and support our plans for a just recovery that benefits our communities. |