[Oakland] Dellums doesn't know what 'transparency' is

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | December 9, 2008 | Chip Johnson

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Shhhh. What's the big secret?

When it comes to Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums' deliberations on matters of grave importance - they are cloaked in more secrecy than an illegal CIA counterterrorist operation.

When Dellums ran for mayor in 2006, he pledged to run a transparent government. Yet at a time when Oakland needs a strong leader to deal with budget cuts and lack of leadership in several key departments, Dellums is missing in action and his decision- making process is one of the best kept secrets in Oakland City Hall.

I don't think even the mayor knows what's going on sometimes.

How could he?

Even before Dellums ushered in a new era of open government, there were concerns about security leaks to the press. That would explain Dellums' decision to bar reporters from attending his history-making citizen task force committees convened to guide the new administration on everything from police tactics to parks and recreation needs.

His campaign manager Kitty Kelly-Epstein, never returned a call for comment during the campaign. Not once. Epstein now serves in the mayor's office as his senior education aide.

So two years later, amid the drivel of meaningless press releases about semi-weekly promotional appearances and mayoral (legitimate this time) toy drives, the Oakland City Council, city department heads and, oh yeah, 400,000 residents, wait for actual news about how our fair city is faring.

"I think that's just his style - it's his nature, I guess," said City Council President Ignacio De La Fuente. "He's definitely not a very open guy when it comes to making decisions or exposing himself."

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Oakland Pride

[Doogle]

transparency...”ain't that where transvestites adopt kids?”