Oakland Partnership

 

City Leaders Help Oakland's Economy Prosper
KGO By Willie Monroe

May 3 - KGO - An economic summit called by Oakland's new mayor drew a room full of the cities political and business leaders. The idea is to try to help an eternally struggling city to prosper.

Oakland's business elite responded to mayor Ron Dellums' call for a summit on the city's economy. The idea: to create the Oakland partnership.

Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums: "To help develop an enduring public private collaboration for economic development which embraces civic participation, and demonstrates that Oakland is a unified community working to achieve our shared vision."

A study from the Oakland Chamber of Commerce said the city has been losing economic ground in its traditionally strong areas from manufacuturing to health care. But it could make progress by turning attention to areas like biotechnology, enhancing the port of Oakland, reviving downtown retail and developing a Green Industry in a place like the Oakland Army Base with the goal of creating as many a 10,000 new jobs over the next five years.

Joe Haraburda, Oakland Chamber of Commerce: "We're talking about new opportunities. We're talking about growing, bringing companies to Oakland."

One of the mayor's community task forces recommended paying more attention to developing the neighborhoods, and not focusing exclusively on the big developments like the Uptown Project currently underway.

Creating this partnership with the business community has become particularly important, because after balancing the budget for the next two years there is very little money left for any grand new initiatives.

Dan Lindheim, Oakland Budget Director: "Well I think we had about two million dollars to play with out of a $1.1 billion dollar budget."

Developing new small businesses like these in a showcase at City Hall Plaza represents another part of the grand scheme. Much of this depends on improving public safety as well as managing the perception of crime in the community.

Business leaders say it may take up to the next year and a half before there is perceptible progress.