Latest news
4/30/08 - Oakland Teachers officially endorse Mario Juarez!
4/13/08 - Mario officially endorsed by the Democratic Party!
3/26/08 - Welcome to the site!Translations
On the Issues
Safety First
Back to topPublic safety is my top concern. Not all 400,000 plus Oakland residents are criminals, but the few who are affect every aspect of city life and development. Oakland's unacceptably high crime rate has landed us on the nation's top crime cities list, discouraged new business from locating here and has many of us afraid of coming out of our own homes at night – and sometimes during the day. Until our crime numbers decrease dramatically, public safety will be my utmost priority.
Prevention
One of the best crime prevention mechanisms is a job. Much of today's crime is committed either by our young people - many of whom did not finish school – and the monthly influx of approximately 250 parolees, both of these populations have extremely limited employment opportunities.
Through my user fee initiative discussed below, I will seek to generate revenue for our public schools that will help with student retention.
We don't need to reinvent the wheel, Excellent and effective employment preparation and support programs already exist. I will work to better coordinate existing job development and training services and programs to make them more accessible. I will promote an Oakland goal of 10,000 new jobs.
Community Policing and Oakland Officers from Oakland
When I was growing up, we all knew the local beat officer and he knew many of us, our school and our parents. We were less likely to act out as a result. We need to get back to a community policing approach. I support filling existing Oakland Police Department positions and then growing the Department to 1100 officers (according to outside auditor reported need) so that we can fully implement a community policing model while not taking away from the Department's ability to respond to immediate situations.
Home grown officers have inherently personal connections to the neighborhoods they protect. An inherent knowledge of the people, culture and idiosyncrasies of an area may help guide responses and actions in challenging situations. To develop more home-grown officers, I will work to expand the CADET program in conjunction with the Peralta Community Colleges. The CADET Program, with current participation of between 15 – 30, engages high school graduates who work in support and training positions with the Oakland Police Department. I will work to see this expanded to 300 participants who are required to complete an Administration of Justice curriculum and as a result are fast-tracked into our police department. This program has been successful in other cities like San Jose and I will promote its effectiveness in Oakland to home-grow our police force.
Redirect, not Criminalize our Youth
Although Oakland currently has a curfew law, children as young as 11 and 12 years old are sometimes seen out on the streets, alone, at all hours of the night. I will pursue enforcement of the existing city-wide curfew for minors. At the same time, these young people should not be criminalized. In conjunction with curfew enforcement I will push to establish of a "curfew center" - that also serves as a truancy center during the day - and provides wrap-around services. At this facility, young people who are picked up will be assessed by various social service agencies to determine why they are out and what issues they have to be addressed, and their parents or guardians will be notified to pick them up.
Paying for it All
Crime in Oakland affects everything about our city. Until we get a handle on crime, Oakland's future will remain constrained. We must all pull together to attack this problem, we must all be willing to invest in its solution, we must agree to pay what is necessary.
Other cities faced with funding challenges to address critical problems have turned to reasonable user fees. As has been successfully done elsewhere, I will pursue funding from the imposition of a specific new user fee in partnership with the Port of Oakland that is projected to generate between $20 million to $45 million per year, without raising general taxes, business taxes or imposing additional city-wide assessments.
Education
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Although the Council is not in charge of the school district, we can have an impact on education. We can help retain committed teachers, partner to provide after-school recreational facilities, mobilize external supportive resources and help to impact student retention.
Teacher retention and support with "Loan Buy-down Program"
One key to classroom success is the presence of committed, invested teachers. My program will provide a substantial benefit that will help to retain teachers over the long term.
As of March 2008, 3,200 residential units are available for sale in Oakland. They are generally not selling and in this buyers' market, sellers are discounting price, paying concessions, offering upgrades and looking for other creative ways to move properties. My Loan Buy-down Program, that would initially be available to teachers, works like this:
- Interest rates are set by lenders at the specific market rate - based on their underwriting criteria.
- For example, the monthly payment on a $500,000, 30 year loan with a fixed 6% interest would be around $2998.
- Many lenders allow borrowers to "buy-down" interest "points" in effect securing profit at the front end of a loan.
- Assuming a 1 point buy-down to discount 1/2 point in interest rate, it would take 10 points to buy-down a 6% interest to 1%.
- The seller could sell the property at the asking price and then apply concessions equal to the desired buy-down amount.
- Participating lenders would agree to the points buy-down.
- A 1% loan, fixed for 30 years will deliver a monthly payment of $1608; a savings of $1389.
- Participants would generally be required to maintain qualifying employment and unit residency to retain program advantages for at least 15 years.
- While initially for teachers, this program can ultimately be expanded to include other lower income, Oakland-based public service employees.
Constructive and safe after school activities
District 5 has very few parks and other such facilities so our children have minimal access to safe and positive after school recreational venues. I will work to partner the city's Department of Parks and Recreation with school sites to develop wholesome after school programs for our children.
Business and Community mobilization to beautify schools
Working in cooperation with school principals, I will lead efforts to enlist and coordinate volunteers from business and the community to help maintain and beautify our school sites.
Supplemental funding
My Safety Plan describes a way to secure funds from the imposition of a specific new user fee in partnership with the Port of Oakland. I would seek to direct a portion of these proceeds for student retention activities, determined and directed by the OUSD Board, to address the correlation between drop-outs and their relationship to crime and public safety.
Environment
Back to topOakland has many opportunities to positively address today's environmental challenges. In the face of global warming it would be irresponsible to bypass these opportunities.
Green building standards should be included for all City and specifically Redevelopment Agency supported construction. LEED standards and resulting certification should be our goal for new, rehabilitation and retrofit projects.
Oakland should promote its remaining industrial lands to attract green industries. I will promote City/private partnerships involving city-owned land that deliver a profit exchange from the City's contribution. For example, City contributions might include land or tax incentives that the City invests and ultimately receives a portion of the profit. This helps the environment, encourages and supports green industry and enriches the city.
Economic Development
Back to topOakland's economic development issues cannot be discussed without first addressing Oakland's crime challenges and the perceptions created about our city as a result. My Safety First Plan will be my top priority. Beyond public safety concerns, we must make it easier to do business with the City of Oakland.
Let's make Oakland business friendly
Oakland does not take full take advantage of today's technology to ease the burden of doing business with the city. Business licenses and permit applications can't be processed online. Many seeking permits complain of the requirement of going downtown and spending considerable time, sometimes hours, to apply for permits and process applications. I will work to bring Oakland into today's online world and make it easier on people desiring to economically build our city.
Preservation of industrial land
Over the past 8 years, Oakland has been almost exclusively focused on developing housing. However, this type of construction does not create long term, stable jobs. Housing alone does not develop a city; we must have a more well-rounded approach to economic development. Statistically, every acre of industrial land supports 70 long-term, stable jobs. Given Oakland's shrinking inventory of industrial land, we must conserve all that is left.
I do not support the sweetheart deals to friends of the incumbent that convert this precious resource for more housing - especially when we have too many unsold new units on the market - and they are predicted to be there for quite some time.
Community Well-Being
Back to topConstituent responsiveness
District 5 deserves a Council representative who is available and responsive to constituent issues and concerns. My business is successful because customer service is my hallmark. I will apply my proven expertise and experience with customer service and satisfaction to my District operations.
Office accountability
I will institute a computerized system to intake, document and follow up on 100% of citizen contacts. This system will have 3 levels of escalation; first to the appropriate staff member to respond within 7 days. If an issue cannot be resolved within that time, the matter escalates to my Chief of Staff. If my Chief can't settle this in 3 days, the matter then comes to me to handle. From this system I will generate and publicly provide an annual report of contacts and resolutions.
Personal accessibility and transparency
I will hold bi-weekly open house hours in a Fruitvale area office.
I will be available bi-weekly at a publicly accessible location in the Glenview.
I will maintain an informative, up to date and interactive web site. This site will include my public calendar so you know what I'm doing and the names of those with whom I am meeting - I will have nothing to hide.
I will frequently convene town hall meetings.
Beautification
A clean and well maintained community improves the quality of life and serves as a deterrent to crime. For that reason, I helped to organize and fund the Fruitvale Business Improvement District that is responsible for daily cleaning on both International and Foothill Boulevards, hires people who might not be able to get jobs elsewhere, and facilitates communications and alerts among merchants.
I will push to enforce Oakland's existing blight ordinance throughout District 5. I will also sponsor and support community clean-ups.
Parks
District 5 has one of the highest under 18 years of age population in City and the least number of parks. Unfortunately, we are not blessed with abundant, available land to create new parks, so creative solutions must be sought. I will work with the Oakland Unified School District to explore partnerships that develop and make publicly available school sites after the school day is over. Such partnerships could increase safe and inviting venues for children and families as well as help OUSD with maintenance expenditures.
With our few existing parks we must consider their actual use when deciding their structure and components. Practicality and functional design, not short-term aesthetic is critical. For example, the $100,000.00 worth of real grass that was installed at Josie de la Cruz Park was beautiful – for the photo opportunity and a short period of time afterwards. That real grass has now turned into dirt – mud when it rains – because there was no consideration given to the fact that the park would be used by the community to play soccer.
Our parks must also be maintained to discourage crime, blight and vermin. For example, Fruitvale Park adjacent to Sheffield Village has a significant, untended weed problem and ineffective lighting to discourage illegal activities.
Youth
Back to topWhen I was a teen, the Summer Youth Employment Program allowed me to work at the Spanish Speaking Citizen's Foundation, public programs such as this provided a constructive outlet for my youthful and creative energy. I believe that Oakland has many effective social programs, but their availability and operations are not as well coordinated or properly advertised as possible. I will work to increase their effectiveness and capacity.
To begin this effort, I will inventory and list on my website youth related programs with complete information on what they do, their population served, contact information and any other relevant information in an easy to navigate manner.
Cultural Arts
Back to topCultural arts are the soul of a city and Oakland must invest in promoting local arts and artists. District 5 is particularly rich in artistic diversity and vibrancy.
I will annually promote a District 5 cultural arts day to expose and promote the various and vigorous arts in our area. This event will rotate throughout District and embrace the great diversity that resides within our District.