The Post and El Mundo Endorse Elena Condes for Alameda County Superior Court Judge Elena Condes is a candidate for Superior Court Judge in Alameda County, California. She is the first Latinx to run for judge in Alameda County.
Elena has been in a private criminal defense practice in state and federal courts for 26 years in Berkeley where she gained acclaim for settling dif-
ficult cases and her knowledge on “Arraignments”. She’s authored materials for judges on Scientific Evidence and expert testimony on such
topics as “GPS, Cell Phones and other Tracking Devices”. She has been endorsed by the retiring incumbent judge as well as 35 other Superior
Court Judges. For more information visit www.ElenaCondesForJudge. com
Oakland Post
Elena Condes
“Where there is no vision, the people perish...” Proverbs 29:18
POST ENDORSEMENTS
School Board Candidates Demand Full Local Control, Oppose School Closings
Stacy Thomas
Sam Davis
By Ken Epstein
A committee of local educators created by the Oakland Post Editorial Board has endorsed candidates for the Oakland Board of Education in all four open races this year, supporting outspoken community leaders who oppose austerity and continued domination of district polices by state agencies and who unequivocally oppose closing neighborhood schools. The Post endorsed: District 1 – Stacy Thomas and Sam Davis; District 3 – Cherisse Gash and VanCedric Williams; Dis-
Cherisse Gash
trict 5 – Mike Hutchinson: and District 7 – Kristina Molina and Ben “Coach” Tapscott. Participants in the Post’s committee were teacher Shalonda Tillman, Post editor and educator Ken Epstein, parent Mona Treviño, educator Henry HItz, retired teacher Eleanore Stovall and educator Nirali Jani. The committee made recommendations and Post publishers Paul Cobb and Gay Plair Cobb made final decisions. The Post did not endorse candidates who support closing more Oakland schools, take money from privatizers or
VanCedric Williams
Mike Hutchinson
pro-charter school billionaires or would like the district to continue the kind of draconian cuts that have become common in recent years. The Post-endorsed candidate from District 1, Thomas said she is committed to “stopping the charter school proliferation that is happening in Oakland.” With a career of 30 years in accounting, she said she hopes to use her skills to fight for financial transparency and stop the state and its agency, the Fiscal Crisis Management and Assistance Team (FCMAT), from running roughshod over the school district.
Three District 5 Candidates By Michelle Snider
Incumbent Noel Gallo East Oakland native and District 5 incumbent Noel Gallo touts his Oakland public education with pride. He’s been holding his city council position since 2013 and before that, he served 20 years as a member of the Oakland Board of Education. In his time on the City Council, Gallo helped create the Police Commission and is committed to reducing the police department budget by 50%. He says he is committed to reimagining public safety and believes in providing a model of counseling for youth that is from the school level to street level as a form of violence prevention. Gallo supports affordable housing, currently working with the Unity Council to continue Phase 2 development for
Noel Gallo
57th Year, No. 14
Weekly Edition. Edition. Sept. 23-29, 2020
postnewsgroup.com
Zoe Lopez-Meraz
housing in transit areas that includes 30 units of housing for the homeless. He has helped the Native American Health Center develop 110 units on International Boulevard next to the health center. He is also working with the Agnes Memorial Church to create senior housing. Gallo is open to negotiating the leasing of the Coliseum land that is publicly owned in order to maintain control of
Richard Santos Raya
how it is used by the city, rather than sell it or sell the Oakland Port to private entities. To learn more about Noel Gallo’s campaign go to https:// www.noelgalloforoakland. com/ Zoe Lopez-Meraz Zoe Lopez-Meraz has worked in the medical fields of physical therapy, transplant and Continued on Page 10
Kristina Molina
Ben “Coach” Tapscott
She strongly stated that as a board member she would not vote to close schools because “it is hugely disruptive to parents, teachers and students.” The Post endorsement committee also supported Davis for his experience in education. However, he was equivocal on a number of issues. Rather than say there is a need to wrest control from the neoliberals in state government, he said, “The best antidote to FCMAT is getting our own financial house in order,” which is hard to do if the privatizers and their supporters are in charge. Gash, who was strongly endorsed for District 3, said she is opposed to closing schools and is determined to invest in education. “We have to stop defunding the schools and putting money in consulting costs. You have to have board members who will fight tooth and nail to make sure money that students’ need are not cut in half. They need to be given the maximum. “ She said that FCMAT officials, who are based in Bakersfield, “don’t value Oakland people and Oakland voices. They end up contributing to the school-to-prison pipeline.” The Post also endorsed Williams for District 3 school board. A San Francisco public school teacher who lives in Oakland, he said he would never vote to close a school. For District 5, the Post endorsed Mike Hutchinson. Speaking about outside agencies and interests impacting Oakland, he said the school disContinued on Page 10
Eli Ferran Challenges Incumbent Barbara Parker in Oakland City Attorney Election 2020
By Kiki
There are two candidates running for Oakland City Attorney, the incumbent, Barbara Parker and Deputy City Attorney Eli Ferran. Parker has been in the office since 2013. She is a graduate of Harvard Law School and is a single mother of one, and grandmother of two. Parker lives in District 2. City Attorney Ferran joined the Oakland Barbara Parker City Attorney Office in 2008. He is married with three chil- trina evacuation stint at the dren and attended law school University of San Francisco. at Loyola University in New Ferran resides in District 6. Orleans with a brief post-KaThe Oakland Post asked
Eli Ferran
both candidates their views on three issues impacting Oakland residents: housing/homelessness, climate
change, and predatory lending practices. Parker on Housing/Homelessness: Since becoming City Attorney, I proved my commitment to housing rights and homelessness prevention by authoring/sponsoring tenant protection legislation, such as the Just Cause for Eviction and Rent Adjustment Ordinances. I energized Neighborhood Law Corps (NLC), to preserve Oakland’s racial, income and professional diversity. The NLC has filed lawsuits that Continued on Page 10
Next Week: Post/El Mundo Endorsements For City Council and Ballot Measures
Candidates for Oakland’s District 7 Share Their Platforms By Clifford L. Williams
Treva Reid
Reid is a former field representative for State Assemblyperson Nancy Skinner and she says her campaign is based on her passion to serve and to utilize her years of experienced leadership to help to move East Oakland forward as a fighter for more affordable housing, jobs and services alleviate the plight of our homeless encampments. She says she’s committed to a strategic process that will include the needs of and benefits East Oakland’s residents. “Our community must be heard. I believe it is prudent that you proactively meet them where they are in your approach to championing equitable outcomes,” she added. Reid’s campaign platform focuses on community vitality, ensuring housing stability, increasing career opportunities, economic development and ending gun violence. She says she’s ready to tackle the city’s most challenging police communityrelations issues and illegal trashing of neighborhoods with sound judgment, strategic planning and collaborative execution. Reid’s numerous endorsements include State Senator Nancy Skinner, Oakland Firefighters, Pastor Michael McBride of The Way Church and BWOPA (Black Women Organized for Political Action). She is the only candidate endorsed by the Alameda County Democratic Party. She is the daughter of City Councilmember Larry Reid. To learn more about Reid’s campaign, go to www.reidforoakland.com. Aaron Clay Clay is the CEO of renewable energy solar company Sunswarm Community Solar, and a teacher for the Oakland Unified School District. He believes Oakland and District 7 needs to be a more healthy and sustainable community that provides affordable housing for everyone. “A healthy community is a place where residents can afford to live, be comfortable and be safe in their home,” said Clay. “Instead, we see garbage on the ground, abandoned cars, and their community deteriorating. More attention needs to focus on eradicating the blight in our community.” “I’ve taught in East Oakland’s public schools and I’ve seen what those kids go through. Let’s get them on board and allow them to create a different vision for the community. I will also be a champion to our youth and seniors,” said Clay. “We also need jobs in East Oakland,” added Clay. “Establishing an economic-based green economy would be ideal because this area is the perfect place for it. Light industrial, clean tech manufacturing in East Oakland makes sense because we already Continued on Page 10
POST ENDORSEMENT
Vote Measure S 1 For Power to Police the Police
Is there any doubt that the community needs the power to police the police? For a hundred years and more the police have been able to do pretty much whatever they desired to Black and Brown people who have been at the receiving end of gross misconduct and outright brutality. Oakland made a big step toward changing that situation when voters approved Measure LL in 2016. That changed the City Charter and established a civilian police review commission that has real power. The Police Commission has done important work since it was created, including instituting a landmark stop and search policy for parolees and probationers. The Commission fired the police officers who killed a sleeping man. S 1 strengthens the commission’s ability to hold the Chief of Police accountable regarding compliance with federal orders related to racial discrimination.
Even though Measure LL was a good beginning, there is a need for stronger, independent civilian oversight of the police. Here’s how Measure S1 provides civilian oversight: 1. Creates a civilian Inspector General (IG) reporting to the Police Commission and not the Police Chief. The IG will have the power to see every detail of OPDs operations and recommend changes. 2. Allows the Police Commission to access all OPD documents and files. This is essential for officer discipline and policy making. Continued on Page 10