Public safety takes center stage as Oakland mayoral candidates make final pitch
Public safety takes center stage as Oakland mayoral candidates make final pitch
With just five days remaining until Oakland’s special mayoral election, the city’s two leading candidates, former Congresswoman Barbara Lee and former City Councilmember Loren Taylor have unveiled their public safety plans in a final push to sway undecided voters.
OAKLAND, Calif. - With just five days remaining until Oakland’s special mayoral election, the city’s two leading candidates, former Congresswoman Barbara Lee and former City Councilmember Loren Taylor have unveiled their public safety plans in a final push to sway undecided voters.
Public safety
Both Lee and Taylor emphasized crime reduction as among their top priorities on Thursday.
"The biggest issues for Oakland are clearly public safety," said Lee while introducing her 10-point plan for her first 100 days in office. "I want to bring together the CEO's of the 10 largest Oakland employers to discuss public private investments and initiatives to improve our economy and increase public safety."
Taylor, meanwhile, is proposing the creation of a Business Advisory Board, which he says will play an active role in shaping policy to address crime and support economic development.
"They won’t just be advisors on paper. They will be active in helping to shape our policies," said Taylor. "It is our job as a city to make sure that you feel secure, respected, and supported."
The debate over who can best tackle crime comes as many residents report feeling unsafe. In the Montclair neighborhood, where a man was recently shot during an attempted robbery, longtime resident Myra Mitzman voiced her concerns.
What they're saying:
"I feel like it’s outrageous. I am very aware of having to defend myself," said Mitzman. "I think businesses are getting driven out of the city because of this. I have small business clients, and you know,. I think it’s extremely costly for them to deal with smashed windows and pilferage every week."
She plans to vote for Taylor.
"I think he’s the best guy for the job. I like Barbara Lee a lot as our representative. I don’t know if that translates into being a good mayor," said Mitzman.
Just blocks away, however, voter Diana Bell expressed her support for Lee, citing the former congresswoman’s regional connections.
"I’m confident in her leadership," said Bell. "A lot of crime passes through Oakland, and so I think being able to work across the cities in the Bay Area to look at how we address crime, to get more engaged with our police chief. I think all of that is really important."
Oakland's special election for mayor will take place on April 15.
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