Anser HassanOakland small businesses are considering a tax boycott due to the city's unsolved issues, just as recall efforts for Mayor Sheng Thao are ramping up.Saturday afternoon, the organization Oakland United To Recall Sheng Thao, or OUST, held a small rally to update the community on where they are in the recall process. It needs to collect 25,000 signatures by July to get the recall on the November ballot. So far, the organization has gathered 13,000 signatures.
The mayor's firing of Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong and missing a deadline for millions of dollars in state funding to tackle retail theft are among the top concerns. Judge Brenda acknowledges that Oakland has been struggling with many socio-economics issues since before Thao took office. But she adds that the mayor has had a year to come up with her own solutions.
Thao wasn't available for an interview, but in a written statement to ABC7 News, she writes: "My focus is fighting for a safer, more affordable, and more prosperous Oakland. I ask all Oaklanders to help me achieve that vision with hope and collaboration and push aside fear and division."Meanwhile, Jose Ortiz, co-owner of La Perla restaurant in Oakland, is calling for a business tax boycott.