Oakland Council Proposes Budget Amendments to Prevent Fire Station Closures, Layoffs

Oakland city councilmembers have devised budget amendments aimed at avoiding up to 80 city worker layoffs and temporary closures of fire stations despite a $245 to $265 million deficit. Their plan includes lowering salary scales for unfilled positions, reducing police-training academies, and drawing more from a city legal claims fund, which together could save $8 million in the next fiscal year and $15 million in the following one. The amendments also propose reallocating police resources by transferring officers from roles that could be civilianized to patrol and investigations, while directing a task force to civilianize additional sworn roles. The plan invests in core city services such as keeping all 25 fire stations open year-round except for a brief winter period, adding funds for community safety ambassadors, neighborhood traffic safety, and environmental cleanup. These changes amend the original $4.36 billion budget proposal by interim Mayor Kevin Jenkins and seek to balance the budget without deep service cuts amid ongoing financial challenges. Oakland's council is expected to finalize a balanced budget by the end of the month, continuing to face pressures from declining tax revenues and overtime costs for police and firefighters.