Another Sign of the Great Recession

My understanding, however, is that they will be keeping the lavaratories open for the indigent, which is at least one good thing.

Here is another sign of the Recession. The highest rate of unemployment in the Bay Area is El Cerrito. It is over 27% there compared to the states 10% average. One out of four people. Terrible.

Here's yet another sign of the Great Recession. Oakland is abotu to lay off 80 of its cop (roughly 10% fo cops in Oakland). They say that this won't effect things because these are cops who walk particular beats not cops that ride in cars or answer 911 calls. But they are also going to direct people reporting "minor" crimes like burglery and graffiti to an automated online website where people will fill out their own crime reports. I guess the next logical step is to have them investigate their own cases as well.

@NightOwl: I guess the Oakland City has never heard of the "Broken Windows" theory of law enforcement that says that way to stop crime is not to just track down the major crimes but to keep neigbhorhoods clean and well lit. In other words, that it is the little crimes like graffiti and vandalism that create an environment in which the big crimes can grow. Given the already high crime rate in Oakland this is really a short sighted policy. Although I'm not sure they were using their funding properly to begin with even with the extra cops.

Does anyone know if the cop layoff has anything to do with the recent trial, or if the two decisions were made independently of one another? It seems awfully convenient, although there is no way you can make a decision like that in a 24-hour time span.

I'm pretty sure it is just a coincidence. Oakland had been trying to negotiate with the union for a really long time. The financial crisis hit Oakland pretty bad. They had been in a building boom when it hit.

Now they are going to cut five days off of the school year as a cost saving measure. Given the stresses with class size and the teacher's shortage I'm not sure this is the best idea. Not to mention parents who will have to find five more days of child care or miss work.

Here is another sign. Cafe Mozart has bitten the dust. Yet another victim of the hard economic times apparently.

Cutting five days of school to cut costs?? Are they extending the school days at all or is it a pure cost-saver?

No, they are just cutting them straight out. Not only is it bad for kids, but also it means that parents will have five more days during the school year when they have to get someone to watch the kids, or take time off of work. It just sounds like the last thing that we need right now.