Oakland balances budget, keeps fire houses open
OAKLAND, Calif. - The Oakland City Council on Wednesday approved a balanced two-year budget after months of contentious hearings.
Most notably, the new budget will keep all Oakland fire houses open.
It will also include funds to help boost the number of sworn police officers, as well as preventing staff layoffs.
Oakland had been facing a huge budget deficit, of hundreds of millions of dollars.
The new plan would use revenue from a new parcel tax, which voters will decide on next year, to close that deficit.