Oaklanders expect City Hall to deliver, and to know who is accountable when it doesn’t. YES on EE reforms the City Charter by establishing a true strong-mayor system where an elected Mayor is Oakland’s Chief Executive — with the authority to ensure City Hall is accountable to voters for results.

YES on EE creates one clear line of executive accountability across City departments – improving coordination, speeding up decision-making, and helping City Hall respond more effectively to homelessness, public safety, illegal dumping, core services, and major emergencies.

YES on EE gives the Mayor clear executive responsibility –  without giving the Mayor unchecked power – to guard against abuse and corruption. The Mayor can veto legislation and budget decisions, and six Councilmembers can override any veto. The entire City Council must also confirm the City Administrator and key department heads and gains stronger oversight powers, including the ability to conduct hearings and subpoenas.

YES on EE authorizes the City Council to create an independent Budget and Legislative Analyst to strengthen its own oversight of city spending.

YES on EE makes an elected Mayor the City’s Chief Executive who is ultimately accountable to voters for results. The City Council would have stronger tools to oversee the executive, including confirmation of key appointments, hearings and subpoenas, independent budget analysis, and the ability to override a mayoral veto with six votes. Voters can then judge the Mayor based on performance and hold them accountable at the ballot box.

Today, Councilmembers are not formally full-time. YES on EE makes serving Oakland a full-time job, so Councilmembers can focus entirely on representing and service their constituents. Outside employment would be prohibited, helping prevent conflicts of interest and ensuring Councilmembers are accountable to the people they serve.

Measure EE was developed through a six-month public process that engaged more than 1,150 Oaklanders through community meetings in every Council district and surveys, along with interviews with scores of current and former City officials and staff.

No. Measure EE is NOT a tax. It simply reforms how Oakland City Hall is structured and governed.

No. Measure EE ensures that every community continues to have representation on the City Council with district-based elections.