OAKLAND, CA - Sept. 15, 2003 (Send2Press Newswire) -- The Oakland Black Caucus, in conjunction with the 16th Assembly District, Alice Arts Coalition, Black Radical Congress, Black Women Organized for Political Action, Coalition for West Oakland Revitalization, Green Party of Alameda County, John George Democratic Club, Lovelife Foundation, Metropolitan Greater Oakland Democratic Club, Niagara Movement Democratic Club, Oakland Black Elected Officials, Oakland East Bay Democratic Club and Vanguard Public Foundation announced today that it will host a Measure X Forum Discussion for the impending "strong mayor re-authorization initiative."

Other individual supporters include Gay P. Cobb - Oakland Private Industry Council, Cathy Jackson - Black Chamber of Commerce, Ethel Long Scott - Women's Economic Agenda Project, and former Oakland City Councilmember Wilson Riles Jr., Marcel Diallo - Black Dot Collective and Butch Wing - Rainbow Coalition.

The Measure X Forum Discussion will take place on Saturday, September 20, 2003, 12noon Ð 3pm at 3534 Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church (on the corner of Mandana / Lakeshore Avenue) in Oakland.

The Oakland City Council is preparing to place the reauthorization initiative, also known as "Measure X," on the March 2004 ballot. Measure X would extend the "strong mayor" form of government approved by voters in November 1998. The original Measure X is scheduled to sunset in November 2004.

The Measure X forum will provide the public with the opportunity to hear a variety of viewpoints on Measure X in form of a panel discussion and Q&A session. Forum panelists include: Henry Gardner, former Oakland City Manager; Zack Wasserman, Chair, Measure X Committee; Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown (or a representative); Rebecca Kaplan, community organizer; and Gene Hazzard, community watchdog. David Glover of OCCUR (Oakland Citizens Urban Renewal) will moderate the panel.

"As there are many people focused on the California Recall, it is also vital that we pay close attention to the local decisions impacting our lives, as well as the structure of local government, explains Forum Organizer Geoffrey Pete and Oakland Black Caucus member. "Just as the Oakland City Council is expected to discuss and make a decision regarding Measure X on September 30th, we felt it was important to engage the community and arm them with the facts to understand the scope of Measure X prior to their meeting."

This free forum is open to the public and media to explore and debate the content and implications of Measure X. Some issues to be discussed include: Measure X's correlation to local government, the appointment process (or lack thereof) to boards and commissions and the power to approve or veto legislation: Measure X's effect on elected officials' salaries: and, whether the City Attorney will be an elected or appointed position.

Interested Oakland residents are encouraged to review the Measure X Renewal Proposal on the City of Oakland's website at: http://www.oaklandnet.com/government/measurex/default.html.

For more information on the community forum, call Geoffrey Pete of the Oakland Black Caucus at 510.839.4644.

Company Website: www.oaklandnet.com/government/measurex/
Source of News: lajones&associates for the Oakland Black Caucus

California Business Newswire / Political Newswire
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