An open government pledge for Oakland


At the end of the elections, 4 of the 6 winners signed on to the Open Government Pledge in Oakland

We will be launching our new effort for the 2014 elections soon with plans for a Mayoral forum on technology, open government and open data!

OpenOakland: a Code for America Brigade is a new technology innovation organization created by local technologists, open government advocates and data geeks with an interest in supporting and educating government staff and implementing tools to help open, improve and engage our local governments.

Following in the footsteps of the Obama administration’s Open Government Initiative, we’re joining local open government groups around the country to advocate for, and support, more transparent, effective government.

Open government is important for a thriving and accountable democracy. With the technology that exists today, government and citizen can interact with one another in ways that were unimaginable before. By opening conduits from which the public can communicate with government and access the pertinent information about their city, the needs of the public are better served.

One powerful example of how a commitment to open government can better serve the public is by offering taxpayer-produced data online in a free and easily accessible format. A web portal can be a clearinghouse for public data without the need to engage in potentially lengthy and costly public record requests. Such initiatives, which can be powered with open source technology as we are demonstrating, could save the city money and time while also allowing the public easy access to important information immediately.

We’re asking all 2012 candidates for City Council and City Attorney to express support for open government principles by signing the candidate open government pledge, below. Similar pledges were signed by mayoral candidates in San Francisco in 2011 and Honolulu this year.

We all recognize that Oakland is poised for greatness, however this will only be fully realized should governance be improved. We thank candidates for showing they believe in Oakland through their candidacies. We want all candidates and voters to know that the Oakland tech community is eager to pitch in to help you make good, responsive, transparent, open government a reality!

Candidates

As candidates respond to the Open Government Pledge, we will add their names below, and spread the word via social media and news releases. We are contacting each candidate. You can find a complete list of candidates at the Alameda County Registrar of Voters (pdf). Please urge your candidates to respond.

City Council

At Large

Mick Storm (Website * Facebook)
Signed pledge: YES

Ignacio De La Fuente (Website * Facebook * Twitter)
Signed pledge: AWAITING REPLY

Rebecca Kaplan - WINNER (Website * Facebook * Twitter)
Signed pledge: AWAITING REPLY

Theresa Anderson-Downs (Facebook)
Signed pledge: AWAITING REPLY

Carol Lee Tolbert (Website * Facebook)
Signed pledge: AWAITING REPLY

District 1

Len Raphael (Website * Facebook * Twitter)
Signed pledge: YES

Richard Raya (Website * Facebook * Twitter)
Signed pledge: YES

Dan Kalb - WINNER (Website * Facebook * Twitter)
Signed pledge: YES

Amy Lemley (Website * Facebook)
Signed pledge: YES

Donald L. MacLeay (Website * Facebook * Twitter)
Signed pledge: AWAITING REPLY

Craig Brandt (Website)
Signed pledge: AWAITING REPLY

Gordon A. "Don" Link (Website * Facebook * Twitter)
Signed pledge: YES

District 3

Lynette Gibson-McElhaney - WINNER (Website * Facebook * Twitter)
Signed pledge: YES

Nyeisha DeWitt (Website * Facebook * Twitter)
Signed pledge: YES

Larry Lionel Young, Jr (Website * Facebook)
Signed pledge: YES

Sean Sullivan (Website * Facebook * Twitter)
Signed pledge: YES

Derrick Muhammad (Website * Twitter)
Signed pledge: AWAITING REPLY

Alex Miller-Cole (Website * Facebook)
Signed pledge: YES

District 5

Dawn McMahan (Website * Facebook)
Signed pledge: YES

Mario Juarez (Website * Facebook * Twitter)
Signed pledge: YES

Shelly Garza (Website * Facebook)
Signed pledge: AWAITING REPLY

Noel Gallo - WINNER (Website * Facebook)
Signed pledge: YES

District 7

Beverly Williams
Signed pledge: AWAITING REPLY

Sheryl Walton (Website * Facebook * Twitter)
Signed pledge: AWAITING REPLY

Larry Reid - WINNER (Website * Facebook)
Signed pledge: AWAITING REPLY

City Attorney

Jane Bruner (Website * Facebook)
Signed pledge: AWAITING REPLY

Barbara Parker - WINNER (Website * Facebook * Twitter)
Signed pledge: YES

2014 Cycle Incumbents

District 2

Pat Kernighan (Website * Facebook)
Signed pledge: AWAITING REPLY

District 4

Libby Schaaf (Website * Facebook * Twitter)
Signed pledge: YES

District 6

Desley Brooks (Website * Facebook * Twitter)
Signed pledge: AWAITING REPLY

Oakland Council and Attorney Candidate 2012 Open Government Pledge

“Open Government” is the movement to improve government by making it more transparent, participatory, and collaborative. Open Government will help build the public’s trust and satisfaction in government, will improve government’s delivery of services, and will create new opportunities for innovation.

I, _______________________, commit to support the following principles of Open Government:

Transparency: To increase accountability, promote informed public participation, and create economic development opportunities, the city shall expand access to information.

Participation: To create more informed and effective policies, the city shall enhance and expand opportunities for the public to participate throughout decision-making processes.

Collaboration: To more effectively fulfill its obligations to citizens, the city will enhance and expand its practices of cooperation among city departments, other governmental agencies, the public, and non-profit and private organizations.

With the rise of new technologies and an increasingly connected population, there is a growing public desire for government leaders and entities to adopt these Open Government principles. I will take steps so that Oakland responds to its citizens’ desire to be more involved in the operations and decision making of their government.

By supporting Open Government efforts, Oakland will build on and enhance opportunities for citizens to inform government; will further develop the city’s transparency and accountability; and will support opportunities for innovation and economic development.

Furthermore, I will support developing a legal framework to grow a culture of Open Government and will seek feedback about the effectiveness of our Open Government efforts. I commit to working with city officials, departments, and the public to implement Open Government in Oakland.

Download the Pledge as a PDF to respond

Join OpenOakland