Oakland Zoo entrance. Google Maps
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Vote for Measure Y
to support Oakland Zoo
If you live in Oakland, you’ve likely heard about Measure Y, which would provide financial stability and allow for critical growth for the Oakland Zoo.
As the zoo reaches its 100-year anniversary, don’t confuse longevity with stability. Measure Y is critically needed for the zoo to survive another pandemic, provide better care for its animals, rescue more injured animals from wildfires, expand educational programming and dramatically increase free access to Oakland’s underserved students and families. Measure Y would also enable the Zoo to give a 25% discount to all Oaklanders.
Bottom line: Investing in the Oakland Zoo through Measure Y is an investment in Oakland and our community. Leading U.S. zoos, including those in San Francisco, Fresno and San Diego, rely on public funding and receive substantially more than the Oakland Zoo.
We spent years carefully developing an investment plan. An independent oversight committee would audit those funds twice every year to ensure they go to support the specific programs outlined in our promise.
What we hear, again and again, is Oaklanders’ pride for their zoo, and their desire to see us do more for the community. That’s what Measure Y is all about. Please vote yes on Measure Y.
Nik Dehejia
CEO, Oakland Zoo – Conservation Society of California
City plans would guide
Berkeley bond measure
The East Bay Times opposed Berkeley’s Measure L — a bond put on the ballot by a unanimous City Council — claiming the absence of specific dollar amounts and projects undermines accountability. We disagree.
Measure L expenditures would be guided by existing city plans developed with years of community input. The bond measure doesn’t name specific projects or amounts because that would not serve the public interest or taxpayers. Here’s why:
If the federal government invests billions in affordable housing or infrastructure — which recently happened — specifying dollar amounts could force taxpayers to use Measure L dollars rather than those funds.
If a wildfire razes Berkeley next year, Measure L resources couldn’t be used to rebuild because the damage wasn’t contemplated by voters this year.
If we assign dollar amounts and construction prices soar like they did during the pandemic, would projects be left unfinished?
Tying the council’s hands would not ensure the best use or the best deal. We elect representatives to exercise discretion in such matters every day.
Berkeley carries one-third of Oakland’s debt per $100,000 of assessed home value. The average Berkeley homeowner would pay just 72 cents per day to build affordable housing, advance wildfire safety and renew our infrastructure. Vote yes on Measure L.
Jesse Arreguín
Berkeley mayor
Gordon Wozniak
Former Berkeley City Council member
Oakland voters should
reject Measure R
Oakland’s Measure R has drawn little attention, without even pro/con arguments in the city’s voter guidebook.
Yet its effort to eliminate all “gendered” references in the City Charter takes a major step in an often implicit cultural conflict. “He” and “she” would be replaced by “they” as all such references are removed from Oakland’s governing document.
In this proposal, “they” generally replaces what is already “he or she” or “him or her.” Another available possibility is s/he.
Suddenly and “officially” making “they” a singular rather than a plural pronoun, apparently breaking the rules of the English language in government documents at the behest of a tiny minority without democratic rationale, at some indeterminate cost, then surrounding this sleight of hand with undefined semi-magical words like “inclusion” and “equity,” is an idea that makes most of us less at home with our language. Measure R should be rejected by Oakland’s voters accordingly.
Steve Koppman
Oakland
Twu will find common
ground for AC Transit
I have for several years been working closely with Alfred Twu in an Oakland Democratic organization, but this is not a partisan endorsement. It is an endorsement of the experience and talent he would bring to the AC Transit board.
He has a brilliant, focused mind, works rapidly, and always gets a job done. He is also a conciliator who finds common ground among differing views.
Alfred works as an architect, designing affordable housing and transit infrastructure throughout the Bay Area. With all the debate on how best to rebuild AC Transit ridership and how to coordinate AC Transit buses with BART and area bus lines, his skills are on-target.
AC Transit serves two counties and a population of over 1,570,000. It needs a board member who can find common ground to get things done.
Gary Sirbu
Oakland
Dianne Jones best pick
for Fremont school board
Dianne Jones is the best choice for Fremont’s School Board trustee in District 3.
Dianne’s 18 years of experience in Fremont’s school district where she served in many different capacities, her present seat as president of the district board, and her impressive endorsement record speak volumes about Dianne’s commitment and dedication to the betterment of her Fremont community. Fremont teachers support Dianne’s reelection and need her continuing leadership in the Fremont Unified School District.
Christina Singer Monkman
Fremont
Connelly will ethically lead
Contra Costa’s elections
Electing Contra Costa’s next clerk-recorder, who serves as the elections registrar, is one of voters’ most consequential responsibilities next week.
With the integrity of elections being questioned across the country, we need someone of the highest ethical standards and management experience to lead this office. That person is Kristin Connelly.
The unethical behavior of her opponent, Vicki Gordon, during the primary resulted in this paper calling on Gordon to drop out. I’m voting for Kristin Connelly.
Bradley Kane
Orinda
Support Oakland measure
for non-citizen voting
Research that shows students with involved parents are likely to have higher grades and test scores and attend school more regularly is irrefutable. We should expand ways for immigrant parents and legal guardians to be more engaged in their student’s education — with Measure S.
The goal of Measure S is to give 13,000 immigrant parents and caregivers a voice and another tool to support their children’s education. Measure S provides this path, merely giving the Oakland City Council the option to allow non-citizen parents and legal guardians to vote in Oakland School Board elections, should it want to in the future. The Unity Council and Parent Voices Oakland are proud members of a coalition of supporters of Measure S. This ballot initiative is what equity-in-practice looks like in Oakland.
Karely Ordaz, The Unity Council
Clarissa Doutherd, Parent Voices
Oakland