Berkeley & Oakland Budgets Prioritize Policing over Education
From Defund OPD:
Where are Oakland's priorities? OUSD teachers took to the streets and resorted to a strike to be heard by the district.
What will it take for City Council to invest in programs for the community rather than funnel more funds into the already inflated $284 million dollar budget for a dysfunctional police department? OPD, now under 16 years of federal oversight, has recently backslid and fails to be in compliance with the reforms required by the Negotiated Settlement Agreement.
Budget season is coming. Ask your council member where their priorities lie. It's time to defund OPD and invest in community!
The situation in Berkeley is similar:
BUSD median base salary $47,687 BPD median base salary $116,394
BUSD median total compensation $64,798 BPD median total compensation $224,996
Cops get paid more than twice that of school teachers. $2M to be cut from BUSD budget next year.
Why are we investing in policing rather than education?