Oaklandside: Will the ‘Emerald New Deal’ make it onto Oakland’s November ballot?
A proposed ballot measure, the Emerald New Deal, promises to repair the negative impacts that the war on drugs has had on Oakland’s Black and brown communities. The organizers behind the measure have secured some influential endorsements from local community organizations and several city councilmembers. But the last hurdle before the measure ends up on the ballot for voters to decide is getting approval from the entire City Council.
Since last month, the council has deliberated over the plan a handful of times. It’s not clear the measure will be advanced though. While virtually everyone agrees on the premise of addressing the harms done to communities of color through the strict enforcement of drug laws, some are skeptical of the Emerald New Deal is the right way of doing this.
