Oakland Mayor's Race: Oakland Parking Behind Grand Lake Endorsements

Oakland Mayor's Race Candidate Joe Tuman just got the best ad sign he didn't have to pay for when Allan Michaan, the owner of the Reinassance Rialto Theater Chain and the Grand Lake Theater in Oakland put the recommendation to vote for Tuman on a marque generally reserved for anti-war blasts.  The sign can be seen for a considerable distance on the main two streets in front of it, Grand Avenue and Lake Park Avenue.

Upset About Oakland Parking

When asked why he decided to back Joe Tuman over any of the other nine candidates for Oakland Mayor, the always outspoken Michaan didn't waste his voice: "Because Quan and Kaplan are the worst for Oakland business," he said. "Since they passed this draconian parking law, my business has went down 55 percent."  Allan's referring to Oakland City Councilmembers Jean Quan (District Four - Montclair, Oakland Hills) and Rebecca Kaplan (At-Large), and their backing of the "Oakland Parking Law" that has enraged so many in Oakland.

The "Oakland Parking Law" Allan's referring to is the City of Oakland's City Council backed decision to aggressively enforce parking street laws, charging a base fine of $55 that doubles if the payment is late by two weeks. Get just five tickets, and your car becomes eligible to be towed off the street anywhere in Oakland, except the hills areas, or so it seems.

Plus, the City of Oakland has purchased special vans with scanners that will read your license plate from a distance. They drive around Oakland looking for cars that are eligible to be towed. If you're parked car comes up on the monitor inside the van, they will stop and place a boot on your car. If you don't have the money to pay and have the boot removed, your car will be towed.

That happened to one woman on Grand Avenue in February. As she was shopping with her two small children, she returned to her car to find that the van mentioned placed a boot on it. She had no way to take her kids home and screamed for help. That incident was the talk of the neighborhood for some time and still is.

The Oakland Parking law is still in place, and the City Council shows no desire to take it away. That's why Allan wants a clean sweep and says "no one on the Oakland City Council should be allowed to hold public office again."

Why Not Perata?

Given that Former California State Senator Don Perata's an outsider to the Oakland process, the question of why no endorsement for him was raised "Perata's a career politician," Allan said. "Joe Tuman has said he will take a leave of absence from his job as a professor to do the job of mayor, then return to that job."  As for the other candidates for Mayor, Michaan said "I want someone who actually has a chance to win."  

Allan sounds like he's an enthusiast for Tuman, but if Joe gets elected and doesn't solve the parking issue, you can bet Allan will be on him in a second.

Also Supports Jennifer Pae In District Two Race

Not surprsingly given the Oakland Parking issue, Michaan also supports political new-commer Jennifer Pae in her race against incumbent Councilmember Pat Kernighan.   Allan says Pae's name will be "up there very soon."

Stay tuned.