This is the Oakland Local Archive. Please visit our current site at http://oaklandlocal.com.
Login has been disabled on the archive.

Will Occupy Oakland Costs Exceed $3 Million ? (Community Voices)

East Bay News Ser... Tue, 8 Nov at 3:53pm
Leaving for the Port by Spritual Monkey http://www.flickr.com/photos/spiritualmonkey/6325250466/in/photostream/

Leaving for the Port by Spritual Monkey http://www.flickr.com/photos/spiritualmonkey/6325250466/in/photostream/

Sanjiv Handa and the East Bay News Service are circulating a report that says that expenses for Occupy Oakland will costs the city more than $3MM. Handa's email, making the rounds of the city, says:

"City officials confirmed Nov. 3 that costs had exceeded one million dollars by Oct. 28, the day East Bay News Service published that figure. Police overtime for the Oct. 25 raid on the camp in Ogawa Plaza, and three ensuing days of many marches and protests, alone topped $700,000.

City sources estimate another half-million for police overtime during the subsequent ten days, which included the Nov. 2 “Day of Action” by organized labor, concurrently with Occupy’s call for a General Strike that same day.

Another $100,000 was incurred by the city’s information technology department, primarily to safeguard the police web site against hackers.

The Public Works Agency incurred $28,000 for the two-day cleanup last week at the Ogawa Plaza encampment. Estimates hover around $40,000 for the subsequent ten days. Supply costs are expected to exceed $70,000 — everything from fuel for vehicles to water bottles for police and other employees in the field for 10 or 12-hour shifts.

It is not yet known whether meals are included in this price. Pursuant to labor agreements, every police officer below the rank of Captain is entitled to overtime. Civilian employees, except managers, also receive overtime pay. Many also are paid a meal allowance after eight or ten hours.

The total city costs will likely exceed $1.5 million by next week — but that is just from the city treasury.

Hundreds of officers responded from police and sheriff departments throughout the six-County Bay Area for three separate shifts — one at 2 a.m. on Oct. 25, a second at 2 p.m. the same afternoon, and a third on the evening of Nov. 2. Exact numbers and costs are not yet known.

But based on videos and photos, at least 440 non-Oakland officers were deployed, and most will be on straight overtime. Invoices from all these agencies would likely exceed $400,00.

Under state procedures, all costs incurred for mutual aid will be reimbursed by the State of California, and are not included in any estimates provided by Oakland officials."

Follow OL updates on this story: http://oaklandlocal.com/occupy

About East Bay News Service (Sanjiv Handa)
Sanjiv Handa is Editor & Publisher, East Bay News Service, and a long-time observer of Oakland city government and politics.
Deborah Acosta commented on Wed, 9 Nov at 2:28pm:

Keep in mind that these expenses, if accurate, are accumulated to date. 

The actual cost to the City, its residents and businesses will be much higher. Restaurants and retailers pay the City business license tax based on gross revenues -- which are clearly falling in the Downtown owing to reduced patronage over the past month.  Who knows how long this loss of patronage will continue?

Oakland may also experience additional business license tax revenue losses through opportunity cost of companies who will not sign office leases due to their perception that Oakland is not a friendly place to do business. As identified elsewhere, 3 companies have reportedly refused to consider leasing Oakland office space. 

Other companies may decide not to renew their leases and locate outside of Oakland, resulting in further revenue hits to the City coffers.  Businesses leaving the City represent a double hit to Oakland City coffers:  (1) business license tax is paid by the business based on their gross revenues, and (2)  property owners pay tax on gross rental receipts. 

The City of Oakland, its residents and businesses, simply cannot afford this occupation.  The proposed $80 annual property tax increase -- which may not pass -- would only bring in $11 million.  If passed -- it may only represent a wash, not an increase of city services.  And if it doesn't pass.......

 

 

stephen weber commented on Sat, 12 Nov at 1:20pm:

Deborah- You are right. The City of Oakland can't afford this occupation. 

That is the methods that they are using. Imagine if you will , since last night , the police started giving them eviction notices. 

This implies that the police are again planning on another night of vast overtime.

They just might get through another similar night without killing anyone.

But the question should be. Don't you expect another sea of people showing up in the streets the next day and night? Do you blindly believe if the police remove the camp that people will just say, "oh rats.." and disappear?

When the next day occurs. The violence will be from the City. Oakland is violent, we all know that. And the police have clearly demonstrated that they will start the fight. Not all of them of course. But violence begats violence.

 

If the businesses and the city had put all of these extra funds into the camp originally. They would obviously OBVIOUSLY been accepted with open arms. And then the police could have quietly entered and done their jobs with ease. They could have removed the violent/criminal elements that are hidding in the camp.

But the camp is about the 99%. So everyone is invited. It is not inherently the movements fault that a few people in society are criminal and take advantage of them too.

But Oakland is clearly throwing the baby out with the bathwater. 

One last point that should be obvious. Attrition.

A vietnam term. A common military term.

With the sea of people of Oakland. The police will have to camp out there to keep it empty. That few million will evolve into a broken budget. 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QipfpYL01YQ