Oakland Ca Finances

Granny Goose Repays Oakland: The city loaned $2.25 million in July 1995 to once-struggling Granny Goose Foods Inc. Granny Goose executives recently lined up $7.5 million in additional financing from a Southern California lender, capital they said they couldn't have raised without the city's loan. After years of losing money, the company is breaking even and expanding, executives said.

Granny Goose Repays Oakland: The city loaned $2.25 million in July 1995 to once-struggling Granny Goose Foods Inc. Granny Goose executives recently lined up $7.5 million in additional financing from a Southern California lender, capital they said they couldn't have raised without the city's loan. After years of losing money, the company is breaking even and expanding, executives said.

After nearly three years of skillfully soliciting ever more lucrative offers from various cities desiring to be the home of his football team, Los Angeles Raiders owner Al Davis may soon find himself at last constrained to show his hand more openly. If he doesn't give some public indication of his direction, the balloon of expanding offers could burst, and he could find himself with less-attractive options.

Oakland and Alameda County on Monday formalized an agreement to issue up to $225 million in bonds as part of the agreement to return the Raiders here. The money will be used for improvements to Oakland Coliseum called for in the tentative deal with Raider owner Al Davis. The joint powers agreement was finalized at a brief meeting between Oakland City Manager Craig Kocian and interim Alameda County Administrator Susan Muranishi.

If his Oakland deal falls apart, Raider owner Al Davis wants Los Angeles negotiators to ante up $15 million in advance payment to the football team as a non-refundable guarantee to renovate the Los Angeles Coliseum and keep the team playing there, according to a source privy to ongoing talks with the team.

It may cost $3 more to fly out of Oakland International Airport next spring. The Oakland Port Commission has applied to federal officials to impose the additional charge as soon as next May. The fee would generate about $10 million yearly. "We will use it for capital projects, such as building more gates and additional parking facilities," said port spokesman Mel Wax.

Oakland Police Chief George Hart said he will ask the city for $8 million to hire 99 more police officers to help combat drug-related crimes. The chief told the Oakland Tribune that the federal government must start imposing economic sanctions on drug-producing foreign countries in order for the United States to win the war against drugs. He also said putting more officers on the street would be only a temporary relief, unless community and family morals were strengthened.

A legislative staff analysis of Oakland officials' deal to bring the Raiders back to their city indicates that, contrary to assertions that the deal would show a surplus of $19.6 million over 15 years, it actually would run a $181.9-million deficit.

Oakland city officials sought Wednesday to squelch efforts to organize a popular referendum on the $660-million offer to the Los Angeles Raiders to move to the city. City Atty. Jayne Williams said the City Council had acted "administratively" Monday night when it approved the proposed deal, and not "legislatively." Therefore, Williams said in a legal opinion, opponents of the project could not petition for a referendum.

The Oakland City Council narrowly ratified approval of a $660-million deal to bring the Los Angeles Raiders back to town, despite growing community opposition and a petition drive to put the plan to voters. Meeting before several hundred spectators in a downtown theater, the council voted 5 to 3, with one member absent, to proceed with the most lucrative package ever given a sports team to relocate.

It may cost $3 more to fly out of Oakland International Airport next spring. The Oakland Port Commission has applied to federal officials to impose the additional charge as soon as next May. The fee would generate about $10 million yearly. "We will use it for capital projects, such as building more gates and additional parking facilities," said port spokesman Mel Wax.

The president of the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Commission, estimating that fruitless efforts to get the Los Angeles Raiders to return to Oakland cost as much as $4 million, said he may turn to the financially hard-pressed Oakland city government to pay those costs. Although George Vukasin said that his commission had agree to underwrite efforts to attract the National Football League team, he said the cost would take too much of the commission's cash reserves.

A legislative staff analysis of Oakland officials' deal to bring the Raiders back to their city indicates that, contrary to assertions that the deal would show a surplus of $19.6 million over 15 years, it actually would run a $181.9-million deficit.

If his Oakland deal falls apart, Raider owner Al Davis wants Los Angeles negotiators to ante up $15 million in advance payment to the football team as a non-refundable guarantee to renovate the Los Angeles Coliseum and keep the team playing there, according to a source privy to ongoing talks with the team.

The city that fought so bitterly to retain the Raiders football team nine years ago is no longer sure it wants them back. In the two weeks since Al Davis promised to return the Raiders here, euphoria and celebration have given way to anxiety and suspicion about the financial arrangement that could bring the team back. A petition drive to repeal the still fragile agreement with Davis is under way, and the pact's architects have been put on the defensive.

The Oakland City Council narrowly ratified approval of a $660-million deal to bring the Los Angeles Raiders back to town, despite growing community opposition and a petition drive to put the plan to voters. Meeting before several hundred spectators in a downtown theater, the council voted 5 to 3, with one member absent, to proceed with the most lucrative package ever given a sports team to relocate.

The president of the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Commission, estimating that fruitless efforts to get the Los Angeles Raiders to return to Oakland cost as much as $4 million, said he may turn to the financially hard-pressed Oakland city government to pay those costs. Although George Vukasin said that his commission had agree to underwrite efforts to attract the National Football League team, he said the cost would take too much of the commission's cash reserves.

Oakland city officials sought Wednesday to squelch efforts to organize a popular referendum on the $660-million offer to the Los Angeles Raiders to move to the city. City Atty. Jayne Williams said the City Council had acted "administratively" Monday night when it approved the proposed deal, and not "legislatively." Therefore, Williams said in a legal opinion, opponents of the project could not petition for a referendum.

After nearly three years of skillfully soliciting ever more lucrative offers from various cities desiring to be the home of his football team, Los Angeles Raiders owner Al Davis may soon find himself at last constrained to show his hand more openly. If he doesn't give some public indication of his direction, the balloon of expanding offers could burst, and he could find himself with less-attractive options.