Re: Signature collection for recall against incompetent progressive Oakland mayor officially begins

[Libby Schaaf the real loser]

On 21 Mar 2022, Wi1liam T T <willy...@yahooomail.com> posted some
news:t1a350$2t8kh$6...@news.freedyn.de:

> Libby Schaaf is the real villan here. That left-wing cunt cost
> Oakland 32 major revenue producing corporations and two sports
> franchises. They left because of her assinine policies and general
> all around stupidity. Las Vegas says thanks Libby. You stupid cunt.
> Thao is just the sucker who was left picking up Libby's trash.

The signature collection to recall Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao officially
started on Saturday, with organizers kicking off the campaign in Jack
London Square.

Supporters of the recall blame the mayor for the rising crime.

Oakland police said robberies, burglaries, and violent crimes all of
them went up by double digits in 2023 compared to 2022. Meanwhile, many
businesses shut down citing crime, especially along the Hegenberger
corridor.

"This specific area used to thrive on game day, whether it was the
Raiders, the A's, the Warriors. It was amazing," said East Oakland
native Duane Tatum, who lives near The Coliseum. "It's frustrating
because you start thinking about all the economic activity you're
losing."

With businesses gone, so are the jobs and tax revenue. He said the job
loss hits his East Oakland community the hardest.

"I was tired of complaining about it. I wanted to put feet on the ground
and actually tried to turn this thing around. You've got other cities
that are thriving. We're headed the opposite way," said Tatum.

He is volunteering to collect signatures to recall Mayor Thao. He and
other recall supporters blamed the mayor for failing to apply for
millions of dollars to fight retail crime.

They're also upset she fired Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong with no
permanent replacement a year later. And they said she lacks
accountability by constantly pointing the finger at someone else.

"She is a failed leader. She has just done so much wrong in terms of
leadership," said Brenda Harbin-Forte, the lead recall organizer and a
retired judge.

But Thao supporters said the recall is a waste of time and taxpayers'
money.

"It disheartening when I see folks trying to recall a mayor who's only
been in office for a year," said Saabir Lockett, the founder and
executive director of Pathways to Peace.

Lockett supports Mayor Thao. He pointed out crime has been going up in
Oakland since 2019. He blamed the previous mayor and the defunding of
Operation Ceasefire for the rising crime.

"The Mayor (Libby) Schaaf and LeRonne Armstrong administration that
defunded Ceasefire. This current mayor is refunding Ceasefire," said
Lockett. "And I don't think that crime is actually any different today
than it was 10 years ago."

He credits the mayor for hiring more 911 dispatchers and working with
the state to install license plate readers to fight crime. He is asking
voters to give Mayor Thao more time. But Tatum worries more time for
Thao means more crime and business closures.

"I still believe in Oakland, the good and the bad," said Tatum. "I
believe this city can actually be thriving instead of trying to
survive."

Recall organizers aim to collect at least 25,000 signatures from
registered Oakland voters by May. They want to get the recall on the
November ballot.

CBS News Bay Area reached out to Mayor Thao's office to comment on the
recall, but did not hear back by press time. The mayor is temporarily
stepping away from public duties following the recent passing of her
mother.

https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/signature-collection-for-recall
-against-oakland-mayor-officially-begins/