Kids First! group says it has signatures needed for November ballot measure
Kelly Rayburn
Oakland Tribune STAFF WRITER
Article Created: 06/09/2008 03:58:12 PM PDT
By Kelly Rayburn
OAKLAND — A group called the Oakland Kids First! Coalition turned in nearly 45,000 signatures to the city clerk’s office Monday, aiming to place a ballot measure before voters in November to dramatically increase youth services.
Measure proponents say it would “protect and expand” the services initially provided under Measure K, approved in 1996. But the proposed 2008 measure, known as Kids First! Two, has drawn opposition from Mayor Ron Dellums and some members of the City Council.
The coalition needs about 18,900 valid signatures to force a ballot question. And while they could face a tough fight come November, about 75 teenagers and youth program leaders celebrated what they’d already accomplished.
Kim Miyoshi, executive director of Oakland Kids First, just one of the nonprofit organizations that falls under the umbrella of the Oakland Kids First! Coalition, said the campaign was “like the little engine that could.”
“All the challenges seemed somewhat insurmountable,” she said. “It seemed like the City Council wasn’t for it, … and yet every time we hit a roadblock almost a miracle would happen and more people would get on board.”
Measure K mandates that 2.5 percent of the city’s unrestricted general fund revenue be set aside in the Oakland Children’s Fund for youth programs. The new initiative would nearly double funding for the Children’s Fund starting in 2011 by mandating that 2.5 percent of all city revenue go toward the fund. The city’s yearly general fund is about $475 million while its total revenue is close to $1 billion.Groups that receive funding include Oakland Kids First, the East Bay Asian Youth Center, Girls Inc. of Alameda County, Youth ALIVE! and Youth UpRising.
Mayor Ron Dellums said in a statement the “proposal pursues a laudable objective that I support.” But he continued that, “by increasing expenditures and not increasing revenues, this measure would reduce budgets for other crucial city services including many services that support Oakland kids.” The mayor said he remained committed to working with outside government and private funding sources to benefit nonprofit organizations such as those funded by Measure K.
City Councilmember Jean Quan (Montclair-Laurel), the head of the council’s finance committee, reiterated her opposition to the measure. She noted that the council extended the original set-aside provided by Measure K through 2021, but said increasing that percentage further could mean deep cuts to other city services, such as parks and recreation and senior programs.
Initiative proponents said youth programs are more important than ever, with crime rates high.
“I think in neighborhoods all across the city that residents and families want Oakland to be a place where they can raise their children in a safe and nurturing environment,” said David Kakishiba, executive director of the East Bay Asian Youth Center. “And it think the Kids First! initiative would go a long way to making that happen.”
Reach Kelly Rayburn at 510-208-6435 or krayburn@bayareanewsgroup.com.