League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Alameda County, CA November 4, 2014 Election
	Dan Siegel Answers Questions Candidate for Mayor; City of Oakland

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Oakland and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. Oakland sits on the Bay, and the waterfront, downtown, and West Oakland areas are particularly low-lying. With climate change bringing major changes, including sea level rise, what are your plans to bring this to the forefront of the Oakland mayor's agenda?

Climate change appears to be a slow and steady process, one that unfortunately will not be reversed anytime soon. We have a responsibility as members of the world community to minimize our negative impact on the environment and support others to do the same. We also have a responsibility to our current and future residents, to prepare for possible negative eventualities in the present and future.

The Siegel administration will implement an array of climate change strategies, including programs to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases and develop and promote renewable energy. Our commitment will be to lead a continuing process to understand and respond to climate change challenges; we will identify and consult with experts, and collaborate with local, national, and international stakeholders. We see an opportunity in the area of economic development, to develop Oakland as a "green city" and foster the opening of a high quality solar panel construction facility within the city limits. We will invite architects and engineers to join us in advancing our local policies and practices in order to promote sustainability and improve the ecological impact of existing and future buildings. We will build on existing efforts to make better use of public land and other open space. In regards to the specific issue of potential flooding in West Oakland and other low-lying areas, the Siegel administration would not delay in working with the Port of Oakland and the Army Corps of Engineers, among others, to identify the present threat and create models for how to prevent loss of life and property.

2. What is your vision for Oakland, i.e., what issues are of special interest and concern and what ideas do you have to put Oakland in the forefront?

We believe Oakland is a beautiful and amazing city, and one that should continue to inspire the world for our work in art, politics, sports, economic innovation, and more. At the same time, as Oakland continues to draw attention, attract investment, and invite new residents, we must ensure that all of the people here with us have a chance to enjoy the gains we have collectively worked for.

The Siegel campaign has identified four primary issues of concern: employment, housing, education, and public safety as the foundation of our campaign. We also believe that these issues are inextricably intertwined: by providing employment and housing we will reduce the prevalence of crime; by investing in public education we will invest in a safer Oakland. Dan Siegel as Mayor will meet with the Superintendent of the Oakland Unified School District every week, to ensure coordination of efforts regarding the young people in our city. We will address employment through varied initiatives, by encouraging investment in green industries in East and West Oakland, by promoting and supporting small business and worker cooperatives, and by collaborating with community colleges and other education agencies to develop our workforce and train for high-demand industries in the new economy. We will also raise the minimum wage as part of this effort, which will promote further economic development in Oakland, as working people are those who are most likely to spend their money within the city.

We have created several detailed "policy papers" on these topics and others that are available for reading at http://www.siegelforoakland.org/materials.php.

3. How would you address continuing high rates of crime in Oakland?

The crime rate in Oakland is unacceptable, and has been so for many years. We know that in times of economic improvement, the crime rate goes down, so a foundation for the Siegel administration's crime reduction strategy will be programs that foster economic development, job creation, and worker education. We also know that there is a public health crisis affecting poor and working people, and that lack of access to mental health and wellness services further drives social disorder. We must address the root causes of crime, not just in a trite and piecemeal way, but with a driving and comprehensive commitment to build a better Oakland in the future.

In regards to law enforcement, the Siegel administration will restructure the police department in a fiscally responsible way that makes better use of the current number of officers serving on the force. We need to reduce the expenditure of scarce resources on police overtime, civil rights lawsuits, and expensive sworn officers who sit behind desks performing administrative duties. We waste millions of dollars every year due to poor planning, poor police training, and weak accountability for those who create liabilities for the city government.

Perhaps most importantly, the Siegel administration will change how we police the Oakland streets. I co-drafted Oakland's community policing ordinance in 1996, and I will implement this ordinance in conjunction with other efforts that aim to reduce antisocial behavior through a personal and tailored strategy for each community in this city. We understand that there are hardened criminals on our streets, individuals who have spent so much time in the criminal world that they will not be easily brought back to productive society. At the same time, we also understand that there are many young people are wrongfully criminalized by our current police practices, simply because of their economic status, or the color of the skin. We need to make sure that our police work is focused on reducing criminal activity and investigating and solving serious crimes.

4. While most of the Bay Area has the lowest unemployment rate in the state, Oakland is still in trouble. How do you plan to stimulate the economy in Oakland?

For reasons both explained and unexplained, Oakland has for several decades been home to large numbers of poor and working class people. While San Francisco increasingly becomes a playground for the rich, Oakland continues to be an economically diverse city. The Siegel administration intends to maintain this balance, and prevent further displacement of Oakland's historic Black community in particular, by focusing economic development strategies on the unemployed of East and West Oakland.

We intend to create jobs in solar panel production, as described above. We intend to bring Oakland into the next digital era by installing citywide high speed broadband, as seen in other cities across the country. We intend to foster the development of cooperative businesses, including laundry and urban agriculture businesses to serve our town's growing hotel and restaurant industries. We will also explore how Oakland can attract state and federal funds to clean up Oakland's polluted and Superfund land sites, with the goal of training Oakland residents to learn trades such as environmental remediation in order to restore our land and create further opportunities for growth.

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Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' statements are presented as submitted. References to opponents are not permitted.

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: October 23, 2014 16:02
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