Oakland businesses decry “toxic relationship” with crime-permissive governance
NBC Bay Area reports that small businesses across the O-Town are getting fed up with DA Pamela Price's soft approaches to crime—up in 2023 by 17% (all violent crime), 44% (burglary), and 52% (car theft). Turns out, crippling local police depts makes for a pleasant Woke catchcry but quickly wreaks havoc on public safety.
The frustration is growing for Bay Area businesses fed up with crime.
In Oakland, some business owners now say spikes in robberies, car thefts, and burglaries are all making it extremely hard to even convince people to come to the city.
“It is getting worse by the minute, you have to something and you have to do something now,” said Chef Michele McQueen of the Town Fare Cafe at the Oakland Museum.
“We are not here bashing our leadership, what we want you to do, is do your job,” said Derreck Johnson, owner of Home of Chicken and Waffles on Embarcadero....
Even owners who say they back District Attorney Pamela Price and her reform efforts, now say tougher prosecution is necessary.
The district attorney’s office declined to comment.
“What we wanted was someone who was fair, not someone who was easy. They have got to figure it out,” said McQueen. “We want to be in Oakland which is why we opened in Oakland, because we love Oakland, but Oakland has to love us back. And that’s what we are not having. It's like a toxic relationship.”
This article originally appeared in NBC Bay Area. Read the whole thing here.
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