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The posts that I think are worth reading. They often have information or analysis that cannot be found elsewhere.

Charter Reform for San Leandro

Charter Reform for San Leandro City Hall, Featured, Politics 20 Responses »

Jun 242011

At last Monday’s City Council meeting, Council Member Ursula Reed proposed that the City Council consider reducing its numbers from 7 to 5 when they next draw the redistricting lines later this year. She also proposed to extend term limits to 3 terms per Council Member. Mayor Cassidy thought the idea was worth considering, but he advocated that it be done as part of a larger reform of the whole City Charter. I agree. The Charter hasn’t been touched in decades, comes from a time when San Leandro was a very different city, and it may be time to [Continue Reading]

Time to clean up the San Leandro Police Department

Time to clean up the San Leandro Police Department Featured, Police 10 Responses »

Jun 132011

SLPD officers involved in fatal shooting identified. Anthony Morgan and Ryan Gill have record of police brutality. The arrest of San Leandro Police Officer Jason Fredriksson for furnishing marijuana to a confidential informant with whom he was having an affair has put the San Leandro Police Department (SLPD) in the spotlight. In its wake, there have been several allegations of misconduct by Fredriksson and other San Leandro police officers. The SLPD has responded with its usual wall of silence and the City Council continues to look the other way. It’s hard to know how deep the problems at the SLPD [Continue Reading]

A short look back in time: When San Leandro tried to censor its own history.

A short look back in time: When San Leandro tried to censor its own history. Featured, History, Library, Transparency 54 Responses »

May 312011

The demographics of San Leandro have changed dramatically in the last few years. According to the 2011 census, just 27% of San Leandrans identify themselves as white, down from 51% in 2000. In 1970, however, a full 97% of San Leandrans were white. Africans American today make up almost 12% of the population; in 1970 they were 0.1%. Those numbers were not happenstance, rather, they were the result of very specific and very successful policies of racial discrimination that kept non-whites, and in particular blacks, from moving into the city. Originally, non-whites were kept out of town by restrictive covenants. [Continue Reading]

Want to fix San Leandro? Run!

Want to fix San Leandro? Run! Featured, Politics 7 Responses »

Apr 282011

Are you, like me, unhappy about the idiotic decision the San Leandro City Council made in renewing the contract with Redflex, the red-light camera company, for eight years? Do you wonder how we got into that whole pensions mess that risks bankrupting the city? Are you angry that the City pays its law firm over $1 .2Million a year but cut down on swimming pool and library hours and did away with the Cherry Festival and the Christmas Tree lighting? Well, you have no one but yourself to blame. YOU are the one who voted for this Council. It’s YOUR [Continue Reading]

A look at San Leandro’s City Attorney: Time to fire Jayne Williams and Meyers Nave?

A look at San Leandro’s City Attorney: Time to fire Jayne Williams and Meyers Nave? City Hall, Featured, Legal 7 Responses »

Apr 162011

Unlike many cities, San Leandro does not have a full time City Attorney of its own. Instead, it contracts with Meyers Nave, one of the most important municipal law firms in the state, for legal advice and representation. Jayne Williams, one of Meyers Nave’s principals, functions as San Leandro’s City attorney – but other members of the firm also do work for the city. Unfortunately, the quality of the legal advice that San Leandro is getting from Meyers Nave seems to be quite poor. San Leandro is currently facing a multi-million dollar settlement/judgement in the Faith Fellowship case and is [Continue Reading]

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