Oakland’s new leaders alter political dynamics
Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, praised and vilified in equal measure nationally for her pro-immigration moves, got a vote of confidence from her city on election day.
But by rejecting two of her preferred candidates for City Council on Tuesday, the electorate put some constraints on Schaaf ’s power. With the exception of the top office, voters across the board eschewed incumbents in favor of newcomers who promised to change the status quo and take swifter action on affordable housing, homelessness and other stubborn problems.
“How do we preserve what everyone loves about Oakland — the history, heart, soul, culture — and how do we be inclusive and welcome everyone in a way that’s equitable and doesn’t displace our longtime communities?” said one of the victorious challengers, City Councilwoman-elect Nikki Fortunato Bas. “Part of what the election results mean to me is a mandate for more collaboration and a clearer vision for moving Oakland forward.”
The three new council members are likely to alter the dy-
namics of City Hall governance come January. Two of them defeated incumbents, and one ran against a large field of candidates to win an open seat.
City Auditor Brenda Roberts was ousted by her predecessor, Courtney Ruby, who was seen as a more aggressive watchdog and will now get her old job back after a stint with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.
“This rarely happens. Oakland has a very stable City Council. It was a big deal when there were two new ones four years ago,” said Oakland political consultant Jim Ross. “These three council members were really elected to get things done for their constituents. They have real pressure to produce results for their districts.”
Loren Taylor beat 16-year incumbent Desley Brooks to take over the District Six seat of East Oakland. Bas edged out one-term incumbent Abel Guillén in District Two, which covers neighborhoods around Lake Merritt and Chinatown. And in District Four, the city’s hills, Sheng Thao won the seat held by Annie Campbell Washington, who didn’t seek a second term.
The group checks a number of “firsts.” Bas will be the first person of Filipino descent on the Oakland council; Thao will be the first Hmong woman elected to a city council post anywhere in California.
The biggest stylistic and tonal change may be the Brooks-to-Taylor switch. The longtime council member was seen as a fierce legislator who often publicly clashed with Schaaf, her colleagues, police officials, city attorneys and staff.
Part of Brooks’ undoing was probably her 2015 altercation with former Black Panther leader Elaine Brown. The physical fight turned into a legal one and cost the city $2.2 million.
Taylor, a business consultant, biomedical engineer and third-generation Oakland native, said he was expecting a close race and was surprised when he got an early lead in the returns, ultimately winning by a 21-point margin over Brooks after ranked-choice tabulation.
“There is a clear mandate from residents of Oakland, in each of the districts, that we deliver real results that align to our values and not get bogged down by personality disputes or baggage,” Taylor said. “The main focus is making sure we’re creating a shared vision for the city that includes District Six. To date, District Six has been left out and left behind.”
Taylor called the district “this island, this wasteland,” and said it would no longer be forgotten. Neighborhoods there do not have the same grocery stores, banks or job opportunities as the rest of the city, he said.
“Residents want to be safe and able to work, live, eat, shop and play in their neighborhoods instead of driving to Alameda, San Leandro, Emeryville or elsewhere,” he said.
Taylor had Schaaf ’s backing in the race; the two met when he served as president of the parent-teacher association of the elementary school both their children attend. But the mayor’s favored candidates in Districts Two and Four were defeated. In the latter contest, her first- and second-choice picks dropped out before election day. The third, Pam Harris, lost to Thao.
Schaaf said the changes on the council — Guillén and Campbell Washington often partnered with her office — won’t stymie her legislative priorities.
“We all hold very similar values,” Schaaf said. “We will have a group of people that’s able to better work together.”
Thao, chief of staff to Councilwoman Rebecca Kaplan, and Bas, a longtime Oakland nonprofit leader, both had strong support from labor groups, although the city firefighters union had backed Guillén over Bas.
“Obviously we’re excited that we have two women who have a natural connection with today’s workforce,” said Liz Ortega-Toro, executive secretary-treasurer of the Alameda Labor Council. “With both of these candidates, we feel like they have those shared values with us.”
The city’s relationship with its unions has been strained in recent months. Workers went on a weeklong strike last year, and contract negotiations with the firefighters sputtered. The two sides went to arbitration — a route not taken in decades — and they are awaiting results from those hearings.
In the District Two race, issues of affordable housing, development and a short-lived plan to build a new Oakland A’s ballpark near Laney College were salient. In Bas, Guillén met an “extraordinarily strong” challenger, Ross said.
“I don’t think his position on policies or issues really brought him down,” Ross said. “People want City Council members who will be actively part of the community and fight for the community, and I don’t think he projected that image.”
In interviews with The Chronicle, Bas, Thao and Taylor said they will bring fresh energy to the council and are looking forward to building coalitions and consensus.
In addition to the new seat occupants, voters approved an array of progressive ballot measures, some of which will give their new leaders a bigger budget to work with.
One measure will tax vacant properties and use the revenue to fund homeless services and the clearing of illegal dumping and other blight. It is expected to raise as much as $10.6 million annually and creates a Commission on Homelessness.
Another will graduate the real estate transfer tax that’s currently flat at 1.5 percent, so that buyers of pricier homes pay a larger percentage, and low-income, first-time home buyers fork over less. Because of volatility in the real estate market, the tax is expected to raise anywhere from $1.7 million to $17 million a year.