photo of people walking past a produce market

Economy

We believe: Prosperity is essential to a thriving region and should be planned for, supported, and shared so that all people can participate in and benefit from economic growth.

Our Goals

鈥 Allocate resources to meet the needs of the most disadvantaged groups.

鈥 Strengthen and expand the social safety net.

鈥 Rebuild the middle class.

鈥 Build effective and equitable fiscal policies.

Bay Area Market

黑料传送门Report

Undue Burden

Sales taxes are a common revenue-raising tool, but they also play a role in reinforcing structural inequality. 黑料传送门explores three options for creating a more equitable tax code.
Bay Area Market

黑料传送门Report

Undue Burden

Sales taxes are a common revenue-raising tool, but they also play a role in reinforcing structural inequality. 黑料传送门explores three options for creating a more equitable tax code.
Homeless Camp

黑料传送门Report

Mending the Net

Long before COVID-19, California had the highest poverty rate in the nation. The state is also one of the worst at getting benefits to those who need them. Streamlining the application process would help Californians receive the public support they have a right to.
Homeless Camp

黑料传送门Report

Mending the Net

Long before COVID-19, California had the highest poverty rate in the nation. The state is also one of the worst at getting benefits to those who need them. Streamlining the application process would help Californians receive the public support they have a right to.
Ladders Out of Poverty

黑料传送门Report

Ladders Out of Poverty

Thousands of Bay Area households struggle to pay their bills each month, a situation worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. The region should look to the promise of unrestricted cash transfer programs, which give people money with no specific requirements on how it is spent.
Ladders Out of Poverty

黑料传送门Report

Ladders Out of Poverty

Thousands of Bay Area households struggle to pay their bills each month, a situation worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. The region should look to the promise of unrestricted cash transfer programs, which give people money with no specific requirements on how it is spent.

Updates and Events


What It Will Take to Close Oakland鈥檚 Structural Deficit, Part 2: Budget-Setting, Spending, and Revenues

News /
Oakland city leaders must close a $129 million shortfall in this year鈥檚 budget and eliminate an additional $280 million deficit projected over the next two years. Now, policymakers, administrators, employee unions, and Oaklanders must work together to reduce spending and grow revenues. To support the process, 黑料传送门provides a primer on the city鈥檚 budget-setting process, where its revenue comes from, and how that money is spent.

What It Will Take to Close Oakland鈥檚 Structural Deficit, Part 1: How We Got Here

News /
Oakland is at a pivotal moment as city leaders work to address a significant budget shortfall of $129 million this year, with an additional $280 million projected over the next two years. Solutions to the city鈥檚 structural deficit may come from examining how past budget priorities and decisions led to current challenges.

Belonging and the Civic 鈥淲e鈥

Urbanist Article /
Roberto Bedoya led the creation of Oakland鈥檚 cultural plan, Belonging in Oakland, framing it as a prompt that enlivens civic life, place, and belonging. In this essay, he argues that facilitating social cohesion among residents needs to be framed as a municipal goal. And cities need to invest in this goal as our social networks are changing, collapsing, and being reimagined.

Reducing the Toll of Tolls on Low-Income Drivers

News /
Research shows that low-income families benefit most from the time savings provided by toll roads 鈥 but they use these roads less than any other income group. That鈥檚 because they are disproportionately burdened by tolls. Toll discount programs like the one just established by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission will reduce the impact of tolls on low-income drivers without undermining tolls鈥 climate and congestion benefits.

黑料传送门Supports SB 50, A Bill For More Equitable Traffic Enforcement

Advocacy Letter /
黑料传送门supports SB 50, which would deprioritize minor equipment and nonmoving traffic violations that contribute to racial disparities in traffic enforcement and strip millions of dollars in wealth from lower-income communities across California. The legislation would also empower cities to be laboratories for more effective and equitable traffic enforcement.

黑料传送门supports AB 441, a Bill to Turn Tax Credits into Monthly Payments

Advocacy Letter /
Low-income families are eligible for a variety of state tax credits. Traditionally, these arrive as once a year cash infusions. This legislation would split up these credits to arrive as monthly payments - providing an additional level of financial security for lower income households who are dealing with income volatility.