March 11, 2021
Dear Friend,

Register to join our Budget Summit on Saturday, and please don't forget to sign up for a vaccination through myturn.ca.gov.

Welcome to the Mayor’s Weekly Briefing, your weekly Oakland news roundup. Please forward this to a friend. They may subscribe here.

Oakland love,
—Libby
MAYOR LIBBY SCHAAF
Oakland Undivided as Schools Reopen
On Tuesday, we delivered the 25,000th free laptop to an Oakland student as part of our Oakland Undivided campaign to bridge the digital divide for good.

At the start of the pandemic, OUSD's Tech Check Survey showed only 18% of our low-income students of color had distance-learning tools. Today, more than 97% have a free laptop, a consistent internet connection and tech support.

As a mayor and a mother, I'm also thrilled a new agreement will open our schools that gives families and educators what we called for -- a choice.
America's Rescue Plan is Oakland's Rescue Plan
Oakland will receive $192 million in American Rescue Plan funds to help address our looming $318 million deficit. I'm urging our City Council to prioritize restoring the critical police services we were forced to cut -- including Ceasefire violence prevention, sideshow enforcement and homeless encampment cleaning support -- as well as parks and library workers.

Medium | The Washington Post
Join the Oakland Budget Summit
Let’s get into the nitty gritty of the budget. Register to join our Budget Summit and you can visit break out rooms with city leaders that focus on ending homelessness, police services and response, illegal dumping and encampment management, and fixing streets and sidewalks.

If you plan to attend please ensure that you use the most recent version of ZOOM. Here is a guide on how to update. You can also pre-submit Q's.
Safer Streets Can Save Lives in Oakland
On Tuesday, I joined Asm. David Chiu to support a new state bill that will bring automated speed enforcement to Oakland. The mobile units would go onto the streets that need them and into the communities that want them. We can save lives with this technology, reduce tragic disparities felt in lower-income neighborhoods, and make our streets safer for all residents.
Mark Your Calendar: Oakland's New Police Chief
Join me, Police Commission Chair Regina Jackson and new Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong for a virtual Town Hall. Pre-submit your Q's.
Council Votes for New Crisis Response
Kudos to our City Council for voting unanimously to direct the Fire Department to create a new, non-police unit to respond to mental health crisis calls. It's necessary, long overdue, and puts Oakland on a path to truly reimagine public safety.

Our Fire Chief stressed design and implementation of a national model would require new partnerships with community organizations and County partners, and could take more than a year to roll out.

Chief's Report to Council | San Francisco Chronicle
Local She-ro: True Vine Ministries Administer Vaccine
Thank you True Vine Ministries! The Oakland church administered the new Johnson & Johnson one-shot vaccine! Schedule an appointment.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"This is a critical step forward for our students, families and staff, as we all can now see the light at the end of the tunnel of this year-long ordeal."

— OUSD Superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammel, on Oakland schools reopening by the end of April.
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
Three for three! A big congratulations to Fantastic Negrito for winning Best Contemporary Blues Album for “Have You Lost Your Mind Yet?” at the Recording Academy GRAMMYs! 3rd win in a row! The town is proud.