Ron Dellums Gets Oakland Moving AgainJ. Douglas Allen-Taylor byline‚ Apr. 24‚ 2007(Ed note: A longer version of this article first appeared in the Berkeley Daily Planet. It provides an alternative perspective to media criticism of Dellums’ first 100 days as Mayor) We have begun hearing the beginnings of low rumblings of criticism over the early actions—or inactions—of the administration of Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums. These criticisms peaked, in chorus, on the passage of Mr. Dellums’ first hundred days in office, the traditional point—since the frenetic time of Franklin Roosevelt in seeking to roll back the Depression, I believe—of marking the initial accomplishments of an administration. From Heather MacDonald of the Oakland Tribune of April 10: “Today, his 100th day in office, Dellums' promise to turn Oakland into a model city is very much a work in progress. Dellums has answered questions from the news media only once since taking office and did not hold the first quarterly town hall meeting required by the City Charter. Much of the criticism directed at the mayor during his first months in office has been that he is not visible enough, leaving many residents to wonder what the mayor is doing, if anything. Critics inside City Hall say Dellums is too cautious and delegates too much authority to staff members, leaving many unsure of where the mayor actually stands.” |