Schaaf Era Begins in Oakland

Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf pledged this week to rebuild the city's police department and expand popular crime reduction programs during her inaugural address in front of a packed crowd at the Paramount Theatre.

Protesters at the beginning briefly interrupted the two-hour ceremony Monday, January 5, but Schaaf and the other newly sworn in City Council and school board members gave their speeches with many of them pointing to Oakland's diversity.

Schaaf's remarks, delivered via a wireless mic as she walked around the stage, were long on praise and her love for the city but short on specific policy proposals. She did propose free pre-school for all Oakland kids, but did not say how such a program would be paid for.

In one of her more humorous lines about bringing new business to town, she suggested Google would benefit from setting up shop in the city.

"Google, you wouldn't need all those buses if you just opened an office here," she quipped, as San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, whose administration was criticized last year for allowing the tech buses to use Muni stops, sat a few rows back in the theater.

In a brief interview as he was leaving, Lee said that he looks forward to working with Schaaf.

"She expresses strong appreciation for all the challenges Oakland's got," Lee said. "I'll work with her as much as I can."

Schaaf, 49, also talked about the need for more housing "at all levels" in the city, built near transit, but added, "When new people come in, we don't push people out."

In a nod to her reputation as someone who can get things done, Schaaf, who served on the City Council for four years and was a City Hall aide prior to seeking elected office, said that she would run the city "with a determination and a tenacity that you haven't seen."

Schaaf told reporters that she spent Tuesday, her first day on the job, at Oakland Police headquarters where she met with every line-up change and talked to officers.

Brendalynn Goodall, president of the East Bay Stonewall Democratic Club, told the Bay Area Reporter that she found Schaaf's speech "interesting."

"The theme was about new beginnings and a new era," Goodall said. "Libby's a great cheerleader and I wish her the best. But the question is how to pull people in to rally the community."

Goodall, who said that Schaaf was one of her votes under the city's ranked choice voting but that she backed former Mayor Jean Quan, said that like Schaaf, she is an Oakland native.

"I've been here 64 years," Goodall said. "I'm very passionate about Oakland."

Neither Schaaf nor any of the other elected officials specifically mentioned LGBTs in their remarks, and given that the city touts itself as having the highest concentration of lesbian couples in the country, some found the omission surprising, including Goodall.

But Schaaf, in an op-ed she wrote for this week's B.A.R. , did announce that two lesbians would assume high-profile roles in her administration. She said that her chief of staff is Tomiquia Moss and her senior adviser is Peggy Moore, a longtime LGBT leader in Oakland who was Schaaf's campaign manager.

Goodall, who said she heard the news from Moore, said that she was "impressed" with the hires.

"I think Libby's staff is diverse," Goodall said.

Schaaf also gave a shout out to Quan, who was in the audience.

"I'm incredibly grateful for outgoing Mayor Jean Quan," Schaaf said. "Thank you, Mayor Quan, for leaving me a great foundation on which to build."

During her speech, Schaaf touched on the recent protests that have engulfed the city on a regular basis for more than a month. The protests, like those in other cities, stem from the failure of grand juries in Ferguson, Missouri and Staten Island, New York to indict white police officers in the shooting deaths of unarmed black men. While Schaaf said she is "frustrated" by the lack of public safety and economic disparities, she also said she was angry at the recent vandalism that some people have caused to local businesses and the Christmas tree in Jack London Square and the vandals' "disrespect for our city."

Protesters lined the outside of the Paramount before the ceremony began, remaining silent and holding "Black Lives Matter" signs. Some of them slipped into the audience inside and began singing, "Which Side Are You On" as a banner with those words was unfurled from the balcony. The banner was later removed and the singing stopped after the Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

Re-elected Councilwoman Desley Brooks, who wore a Black Lives Matter T-shirt, gave an impassioned speech about how some people in Oakland are disenfranchised.

"I wore this T-shirt for a reason," Brooks said. "We have to hear voices other than our own. We have to make room for everybody. We have to come out of our comfort zone."

Brooks went on to say that the police department has "some good officers," and "we have some great people here" but that Oakland needs to "move it forward."

She said the Oaklanders "need to define ourselves by the positives."

Other Speakers

Newly elected District 2 Councilman Abel Guillen, who identifies as Two-Spirit, said he represents "the most diverse district in the most diverse city in America." His district, which includes part of Lake Merritt and Adams Point, is home to a number of LGBTs. Guillen said his priorities are to have "police officers build trust with residents and especially, young people."

Annie Campbell Washington, who was elected to Schaaf's former District 4 seat, recounted her start in city government as a budget and policy analyst. She said she envisions business and labor working together.

Also taking oaths of office were new school board members Aimee Eng, Nina Senn, and Shanthi Gonzales. All talked about the importance of teachers and improving the city's public schools.

New city Auditor Brenda Roberts also took the oath of office, pledging to bring accountability and transparency to the department. She said she wanted the city to work as a unit, rather than devolve into factions.

"My hope is that everyone can come to the table," she said.