Mission Statement

Non-Departmental comprises costs, programs, activities, debt and lease payments that are not assignable to a specific department.

SERVICE IMPACTS & EQUITY CONSIDERATIONS

Enhancements

Clean, healthy, sustainable neighborhoods

1. Adds $13.9 million in O&M funding per year for Measure Y expenditures. Measure Y was the ballot initiative voters passed in November 2022 to dedicate more funding to Oakland’s Zoo.
   • Equity Consideration: The equity impact of this Measure is unknown, however, it was also voter-backed so the expenditures are mandated to be spent per the language of the Ordinance.
2. Adds $1 million in O&M funding per year for the Lake Merritt Parking Management Funds. These funds are intended to support the various departments to implement a series of parking proposals that seek to reduce overcrowding, increase access, and effectively manage the scarce supply of parking at Lake Merritt. 25% of net revenue will be allocated to address the two equity mitigations to support a Lake Merritt Vending Program, and developing additional vending opportunities for Oakland vendors citywide and discounted transportation options for Oakland residents; 25% of net revenue to be allocated to park maintenance efforts citywide; 30% of net revenue to be allocated to an expanded Park Steward Program citywide and 20% of net revenue for traffic safety improvements surrounding the Lake and adjacent to parks citywide.
   • Equity Consideration: This plan impacts lower-income residents that find the new parking fees a barrier to accessing the lake. As a mitigation measure, staff is engaging with AC Transit about free or reduced bus service for Oakland residents on weekends to and from the lake, when demand is highest and providing fee-free debit cards to lower the cost for drivers using the parking kiosks.
3. Adds $750,000 in grant funding per year for City Council’s Citywide Community grants. Historically, City Council awards grants to community-based organizations (CBOs) as a part of the budget process. This money is being set aside for the anticipated RFP process the City will initiate to distribute to the finalists for these grants.
   • Equity Consideration: The equity impacts of this budget allocation will depend on whether the RFP process will involve the applying CBOs to indicate how they will advance racial equity with this funding.

Good jobs and a vibrant economy

1. Adds $1.6 million in FY 2024-25 to convert Temporary Part-Time (TPT) positions to Full-time positions per the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Local 1021. The job classifications to be converted will be determined by a labor management committee.
   • Equity Consideration: The City’s TPT employees are disproportionately from Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities. Conversion to full-time positions helps to ensure that long-term temporary employees have the opportunity for promotion into full-time civil service jobs and access to benefits such as vacation leave or CalPERS health and retirement benefits, which are not available to TPTs.

Other Important Budget Change

1. The Consolidated Fiscal Policy (CFP) requires the City to maintain a rainy day fund to support the City when it goes through economic downturns. That fund is called the Vital Services Stabilization Fund (1020), and the CFP requires that 25% of the revenue generated from the Excess Real Estate Transfer Tax gets allocated to the Vital Services Stabilization Fund (VSSF) for specific uses. In this FY 2023-25 Biennial Budget, due to economic conditions, the City's required contribution to the VSSF has been suspended and the existing balance is being used to balance the City’s overall budget. In this budget, the City is adding $10.3 million in FY 2023-24 to help balance the City’s overall budget.
   • Equity Consideration: The purpose of a rainy day fund is to prevent the unnecessary loss of services when and where possible. The VSSF’s current fund balance is being utilized to ensure that the City maintains its existing services without laying off any staff. Maintaining current service levels after the pandemic for all Oakland’s residents is a critical component of supporting the local economy recovering as well as ensuring Oakland residents are getting the essential services they need.

SIGNIFICANT BUDGETARY CHANGES

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

BUREAU/DIVISIONS