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Measure C on the Oakland June 7 ballot would extend an existing inflation-adjusted parcel tax for another 30 years.
(Laura A. Oda/Bay Area News Group)
Measure C on the Oakland June 7 ballot would extend an existing inflation-adjusted parcel tax for another 30 years.

Oakland voters in the June 7 election will have an important opportunity to keep the Oakland Public Library system a safe, educational and welcoming place for all Oaklanders.

By voting yes on Measure C, an extension of an existing parcel tax at the same inflation-adjusted rate, we can preserve libraries as a safe space for our children and teenagers that provide homework assistance, tutoring programs and other resources that help students succeed. By passing this extension, we can protect our neighborhood libraries from closure and keep extended hours that meet the needs of working families.

All funds raised by Measure C must be spent on the Oakland Public Library system, and there is oversight and annual audits to guarantee accountability. And as a former co-chair of Oakland’s Library Commission, I can personally assure you that parcel tax funding for the Oakland Public Library is going exactly where the voters were promised.

The library is funded by a mix of funding from two parcel taxes and funding from the city of Oakland’s general fund. In the last fiscal year, 2020-21, the combined single-family home rate for the two parcel taxes was $194. One of the taxes is due to expire in 2024; Measure C would extend it for 30 years. The other runs through 2038.

As a condition of Measure C, the city of Oakland is required to maintain its General Fund contribution to the Oakland Public Library at current levels. Without funding from the two parcel taxes, this guarantee goes away.

Since the first parcel tax was passed in the 1990’s, it has been dedicated to supporting library operations above and beyond the original status quo. Some of the expansions and improvements to library services that Measure C will protect include:

• Expanded hours: almost all locations are open six days a week with expanded hours, and three branches are open seven days a week.

• Two new branches, one on a school site to better serve Oakland Unified School District students, and another with a special focus on serving Oakland’s Spanish-speaking residents.

• A full-time children’s librarian for every location and story-time events for babies and toddlers.

• Major investments in buying physical books and access to online resources, including many multilingual online resources.

• Increased services for teens, including a massive expansion of teen rooms and teen-focused programming such as the Youth Poet Laureate Program.

As we talk about tackling learning loss, we need a vibrant Oakland Public Library to support literacy and lifelong learning. As we talk about reimagining public safety, we need a vibrant library to provide connections to jobs, services and adult-literacy resources.

As we talk about supporting small businesses, we need a vibrant Oakland Public Library to provide free legal help from “Lawyers in the Library” and access to business resources. The Oakland Public Library is more relevant now than it has ever been.

The city of Oakland has more than its fair share of financial challenges, but the Oakland Public Library stands out as a shining example of city government at its best. It delivers exactly what it promised: top quality services for all Oaklanders, conveniently located in neighborhoods across our city. Please help us protect Oakland’s gem of a library system. Please vote yes on Measure C.

Caleb Smith is chairman of the Yes on Measure C campaign, a former co-chair of Oakland’s Library Commission and a lifelong Oakland resident.

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