Port of Oakland is open for Business

The Port of Oakland is open for business.  At a press conference just after noon today Port Executive Director Omar Benjamin said there had been sporadic protests that caused some delays but that all terminals were open and operational. 

Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan said there was one report of vandalism, two arrests on charges of impeding traffic and no injuries. 

Mayor Jean Quan reminded everyone that the Port is an essential part of our regional economy and a source of good paying blue collar jobs.  She said that disruptions to Port operations were not helpful. The Port is responsible for $460 million a year in state and local tax revenue and thousands of jobs.

Mayor Quan lunches with Chamber Board

Oakland Mayor Jean Quan joined the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce Board at its year end lunch meeting today to discuss the future of Oakland.  The Mayor covered a number of topics from the city budget and public safety to education and promoting business and international trade.

The Mayor told us that the budget while difficult after years of declining revenue was more transparent and better set up with reserves than had been true in the past.  She appreciated the concessions made by labor groups and was confident that the loss of the parcel tax (Measure I) would not imperil city services.  Quan indicated she expects to continue to streamline city services to make the most out of city resources.  The Mayor also expressed confidence in her new management team, City Administrator Deanna Santana and Assistant City Administrators Scott Johnson and Fred Blackwell, all three of whom have been with the city for just the last 3-4 months.

On public safety she talked about hiring police officers and focusing on 100 blocks that have suffered the worst crime problems.  She has confidence in new Police Chief Howard Jordan who has held the post since mid-October. The Mayor and City Administrator Santana meet weekly with federal monitors to avoid a federal takeover of OPD.  One particular law enforcement tool the Mayor cited as effective and that she wants to see more of is cameras especially in commercial zones.  She says the data shows that where the cameras exist, crime gets pushed away and so she wants to expand the areas covered.

Mayor Quan indicated she has promoted trade in her efforts on various national groups, trips to China and conferences, including the Regional Export Initiative signed by her and other area mayors at the Chambers MegaRegion event earlier this year. 

The Mayor talked about her efforts to keep the city’s sport franchises and attract retail to town.  She talked about her 25% solution, the idea that even just a 25% increase of local shopping by Oaklanders could create jobs and improve city finances.

The Chamber looks forward to continuing to work with Mayor Quan to promote economic growth and job creation in Oakland!

The Chamber's Letter to Mayor Quan

1 November 2011

Dear Mayor Quan,

Oakland is, was, and always will be open for business. We stand with the leaders of Oakland’s small and large employers to urge your continued support for peaceful protest while respecting other’s rights to conduct business without fear of violence.

As you know, protestors have planned Wednesday as a General Strike. There is a fog of uncertainty surrounding this effort and our members, and the business community at large wants to support you and the city at this critical time. However, we do not yet see what it is you want from the business community.

At its most grassroots level, we are concerned for the mothers and children, and even grandmothers, who plan to come to Oakland to conduct their regular business – shopping, banking, doctor’s appointments, or visiting a museum. At its broadest level, we are concerned that our community’s employers, the ones who provide the jobs to our local economy, are closing for the day or must face a day of great uncertainty. Your lack of clarity is putting our shared future in Oakland at risk.

We want to be clear, should Wednesday’s planned protests go awry, someone will need to be held accountable.

We share your sentiment to find constructive ways to help grow Oakland. To that end, we respectfully request that you:

-          Be clear and concise in your requests to the police, to businesses, and to the protestors on your expectations tomorrow. We do not want to see a repeat of the violence, yet we want to see an end to the fear and uncertainty.

-          End overnight camping in Frank Ogawa Plaza. It remains a visible manifestation of your lack of clarity and leadership and places public safety at risk.

-          Immediately work with us to continue to drive support for Measures I and J as a meaningful way to raise much-needed revenues and provide public safety. Let’ s be clear, the business community has endorsed these measure, but your vacillation have put their passage in jeopardy

A united Oakland isn’t hard to visualize – it has already happened. Oaklanders from every part of the community recently gathered to make it clear to Lawrence Berkeley National Labs that locating in Oakland was a smart and sensible home for their second campus. We can have that again, but you must lead the way.

Sincerely,

Joseph J. Haraburda

President & CEO