The recall of Oakland’s Mayor Sheng Thao, the first recall of a major-city mayor in more than a decade, according to the New York Times, was the focus of an article in that paper on Nov. 1. The article noted that the pro-recall group is largely funded by Philip Dreyfuss, a hedge fund manager who lives in Piedmont. (You can take an in-depth look at how Dreyfuss is deploying his resources to affect Oakland races in this Oaklandside article from Nov. 1: “Hedge fund exec bankrolling Oakland mayor recall shifts focus to down-ballot races.”)
Thao and her allies raised $120,000 to fight the recall and her opponents had contributed more than $600,000, according to campaign finance records reviewed by the paper.
Oakland’s high crime rates, pervasive homelessness problems, and rocky business environment coupled with an FBI raid on Thao’s home and those of a donor, have led to a loss of confidence in Thao’s ability to lead. Thao narrowly won election by fewer than 700 votes in 2022.
Of note, the article interviews the owner of Fentons — the site of 300 car break-ins last year:
At one of Oakland’s oldest restaurants, Fentons Creamery, the owners are considering closing up shop after 130 years of operation.
Generations of customers have visited Fentons and slid into plastic red booths to order heaping sundaes and milkshakes, under black-and-white photos of a bygone era. On the storefront glass, bright yellow signs now warn customers not to leave any valuables in their cars.
Last year, there were 300 break-ins in the store’s 15-car parking lot, often in broad daylight, and one employee was sent to the hospital because of injuries suffered during a robbery, said Gregory Scott Whidden, the Fentons owner. Mr. Whidden, who has lived in Oakland for more than 60 years, said he planned to close if another staff member or guest were injured.
“Wars, pandemic, blackouts, earthquakes, floods — we’ve stayed open for business 363 days a year, but this is different. We can’t in our right mind continue to open up and say, ‘Come on down,’ knowing we’re drawing you into harm’s way,” Mr. Whidden said in an interview.
The First Big-City Mayor to Face a Recall in Years Is Fighting for Her Job; The New York Times, Nov. 1, 2024
You can find the full story HERE. (The article is behind a paywall.)