SF Chronicle: Oakland City Council to Vote on Parcel Tax

Oakland City Council to vote on pact, parcel tax

Matthai Kuruvila, Chronicle Staff Writer,

San Francisco Chronicle April 6, 2011 04:00 AM

This article appeared on page C - 8 of the San Francisco Chronicle

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A parcel tax vote sought by Oakland Mayor Jean Quan failed to make a July ballot Tuesday, as council members argued that she had not properly notified the public.

Because Quan did not meet a 10-day noticing requirement prior to the council meeting, the measure needed six of eight council members to vote to allow discussion of the measure. But council members Ignacio De La Fuente, Libby Schaaf and Desley Brooks voted no on the measure.

Quan sought the mail-only ballot because the state Legislature did not call a statewide election for June and she wanted to meet a county deadline to include the tax in November's tax bill. Schaaf said the chances for a June election had always been questionable and that Quan should have acted sooner.

"The city has rules about open government and providing adequate notice to the public," Schaaf said.
Councilwoman Nancy Nadel said the tax being blocked by three members was a "tyranny of the minority," while Quan referred to the noticing requirement as "parliamentary procedures" that block democracy.

The mayor said she would seek a special council meeting Friday to meet noticing requirements, but it is not clear if that will happen. The $80-per-parcel tax would bring in about $11 million a year and expire after five years.

The contentious discussion about the parcel tax served as a prelude to an even more bitter debate about a security contract long been held by a firm with close ties to City Hall.

ABC Security has had the contract to guard city buildings since at least 1998. Also, ABC has had the contract without being subject to competitive bidding since 2001. Last year, city officials insisted the contract had to go to bid.

Ten companies bid, and ABC was ranked sixth by the city.

Nonetheless, council members Jane Brunner and De La Fuente pushed to award ABC the contract. Both have received campaign contributions from ABC. In addition, City Auditor Courtney Ruby said that some of ABC's contributions in 2010 appeared to violate the city municipal code.

Companies and their officers sign agreements to not give campaign donations to council members while a bid is being vetted. The company and its president, Ana Chretien, appeared to have violated that code, Ruby said.

Ultimately, the council voted 5-3 to choose Cypress Private Security over ABC Security for the $2 million annual contract, which will run for three years. De La Fuente, Jane Brunner and Rebecca Kaplan voted against giving Cypress the contract.

De La Fuente and Brunner insisted the evaluation process was flawed because ABC Security should have been given credit as a company that has operated in Oakland for 42 years and is managed by a woman who is a minority.

Councilwomen Brooks, Pat Kernighan and Schaaf said the bidding process had to be respected.

"We need to make sure there's a level playing field," said Brooks.