July 2016 - Libby tries for more power
Mayor's Power Will Grow if Voters Approve Oakland Police Commission
In November, Oakland voters will decide whether to establish a new civilian-run police commission that would take over the job of disciplining police officers from the city administrator. But the ballot measure would also do something else — significantly expand the power of Oakland's mayor.
The police commission charter amendment, if approved by voters, would further expand the mayor's power in two significant ways. First, the mayor would get to make three direct appointments to the police commission's seven-person board. Second, the mayor would be given the power to unilaterally fire the police chief. Right now the mayor can't fire anyone except the city administrator.
At last night's Oakland City Council meeting, these new powers became the center of a ferocious debate. Dozens of angry members of the public spoke during public comment, telling the council that giving the mayor three appointments to the police commission would make it susceptible to political influence. Many argued that all seven commissioners should be nominated by a selection panel composed of Oakland residents, not politicians.
http://www.eastbayexpress.com/SevenDays/archives/2016/07/27/mayors-power-will-grow-under-proposed-oakland-police-commission-reforms
