Oakland’s Measure NN is a new proposal aimed at funding public safety through a tax on property owners.
Measure NN was put on the ballot to increase funding for violence prevention services in Oakland. It would provide more than $47 million over nine years to increase police and fire staffing. It would also support community-based programs and interventions aimed at addressing the root causes of violence.
Supporters of Measure NN include the Oakland Police Officers’ Association and Oakland Firefighters. Also, various community organizations such as Youth Alive, Roots Community Health, the East Bay Asian Youth Center, and Oaklandish are also in favor.
Opponents are concerned about the financial impact on property owners and the effectiveness of the proposed programs. One naysayer is Marcus Crawley, a director with the California Association of Bond Oversight Committees. Another is Oakland attorney Marleen Sacks.
She points to Measure Z, which passed back in 2014. Sacks told The Oaklandside that, despite good intentions, the police department remains chronically understaffed and crime rates remain high.
The group that got Measure NN on the ballot, Oaklanders Together for a Safer Oakland, has raised more than $600,000 altogether. Major contributors include Blue Shield of California, Kaiser Permanente, and PG&E. No money has been raised in oppposition.
So to recap: A “yes” vote on Measure NN will approve a tax to fund violence prevention services.
A “no” vote will keep the current funding system in place.
That’s a brief take on Measure NN.
