The Berkeley Scanner reports that the recall committee – Save Alameda For Everyone – has filed a notice of intent with the Alameda County Registrar of Voters, including the first 100 signatures on its recall petition.
If the materials are certified, recall supporters would have 160 days to gather 75,000 to 90,000 signatures to trigger a recall election.
Since taking office six months ago, Price – a former defense attorney – has been criticized by several members of the community for her policies. She favors reducing incarceration and reconsidering charging decisions, with an eye towards reducing racial disparities in the system.
Some of her critics – including the local chapter of the NAACP and the mothers of some of the victims of past street violence – argue that Price’s approach is out-of-step with a city that has seen a dramatic increase in violent crime.
SAFE accused Price of “fomenting a culture of violence that serves criminals.” Price’s defenders argue the recall effort amounts to a “coup.”
Crime in Alameda County's biggest city, Oakland, is up 26 percent overall from last year at this time. The city's violent crime index, which is a combination of killings, rapes, robberies and aggravated assaults, is up 15 percent.
