60 Minutes With DON PERATA

I met with former Senate President pro Tem, Don Perata, yesterday for a very lively hour. We talked a great length about everything involving Oakland; crime, housing, jobs, education, the works.

Mostly though, we spoke at great length about the need for keeping the A's in Oakland, and by extension, the Raiders too.

In case you don't know, Perata's been under scrutiny from the feds for the past five-plus years; there's been rumors of an impending indictment over misappropriating campaign funds, but after a rather exhaustive half decade, and still no indictment, Perata thinks he's escaped any formal charges.

"I think it's over," he said. I agree.
Perata formally announced he's running for Mayor of Oakland a few weeks ago. I told him he reminded me of ex-NY Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who took NY from the depths of utter chaos, crime, and filth, and turned it into an urban oasis. He laughed."Ok, maybe a combo of Richard Daley too? I asked." Another laugh from "the Don."

We both agreed that Oakland is in utter crisis. I told him that the universal feeling from almost every neighborhood in town is that the city has never been in such a perilous state as it is right now.

Sure, downtown is thriving. Uptown looks great--the Fox theatre restoration, the gleaming, hip, new restaurants along the Broadway/Grand corridor, the explosion of condos, Piedmont ave and Rockridge, etc., but that a huge part of Oakland was still under siege. The Police. Budgetary cuts. The schools--I could go on, but you get my point.

BOTTOM LINE: Oakland needs a "Giuliani-type" right away. This isn't a campaign plug for Perata, but if you want to interpret it that way, be my guest. I'm not beholden to him or Ron Dellums or anybody for that matter. I grew up in Oakland and love my city. It's a city that has so much damn promise and wonderment, and yet, feels extremely devoid of leadership. And boy does this city need a good dose of leadership.

I told Perata that Oakland needs a jolt, a big "bump" if you will. The town needs swift reforms and action--not reaction. The hill dwellers, the 'flatlanders, the folks who live near Lake Merritt, Grand/Lakeshore--everyone pretty much feels the pain and only Perata has the 'political gravitas and will to make things happen.

I voted for Ron Dellums and had hoped he'd be a good mayor, but he simply hasn't been up to the task. The election is in June 2010. That's almost an eternity in politics. Oakland can't wait for a guy like Don Perata to get to work. We need leadership right away. We need it badly. And yes, we need every 'Giuliani and 'Daley and 'Tagami on the planet and that guy is Don Perata.

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