The Oakland Zoo is a small but dazzling jewel –respected throughout the country for cutting-edge animal management, education, and conservation… and it is ours. Sadly, there has been misinformation about Measure A-1.
Be assured that Measure A-1 is not for any kind of expansion.
Measure A1 reads that by law, the money must be used for animal care, children’s educational programs, and maintaining the Zoo’s affordability. Money can go towards upgrading animal enclosures and repairing animal shelters – but this “construction” has nothing to do with expanding the existing zoo—only for repairing and improving existing ones.
Parcel tax measures, like A-1, are always set up to describe how money will be used, not how it will not be used. However, because of a contingent that confuses Measure A-1 with expanding the Zoo, the Zoo has clarified, on the record, its intent and commitment that no Measure A1 funds will be used for the California Trail expansion construction.
I have volunteered as a docent for the last three years and am constantly blown away by the quality and integrity that I see around me. The zoo is known nationally as tops in animal management, educating Bay Area children, and conservation as well as rescuing animals. All of our tigers and lions are rescues from horrific conditions.
We have a world-class zoo at our doorsteps. Keeping it that way--maintaining the exhibits, animal care, quality education, and entry costs to the public are crucial, and that's where your help comes in.
How lucky we are to have a world-class zoo at our doorsteps. Please vote yes on A-1.
on A-1. If you can vote, Do Vote, November 6th.
Noteably, the primary place where this murky opposition makes itself evident is in online chat rooms, in some cases by the signers of the measure's oppostion, and its chair, Rose Nolan of 'Friends of Knowland' no less. Apparently, these folks are a relatively small group or most of them are too ashamed to be public in their opposition by doing simple things such as displaying opposition signs on their own property. Get out the vote November 6th!
http://livermore.patch.com/blog_posts/yes-on-measure-a1-for-education-animal-care-22b0af02
According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, in the US, most zoos are supported partially or wholly out of public funds by the town, city, or state in which they are located. The National Zoological Park, in Washington DC, was founded by Congress in 1889-90. Its site was purchased by the US government, and running expenses are provided from public funds. The Zoological Park in the Bronx, New York City, and the Philadelphia Zoological Garden are managed by zoological societies. Both are supported partly by the subscriptions of members, partly by entrance fees, and partly by annual civic subsidies. Earlier this year, community family favorites like the Oakland Zoo, Fairyland, Peralta Hacienda, arts programs and Symphony in the Schools all saw their city funding slashed by 40 percent due to the loss of redevelopment funds from Sacramento.
Zoo docents, volunteers and staff are obviously dedicated and do great work, but that doesn't change the fact that the zoo board’s priority is turning what Sidney calls this “small but dazzling jewel” into one of the biggest zoos in California with the expansion onto 54 acres of open space wildlife habitat in Knowland Park. This $72 million project is only about halfway funded, according to the zoo CEO. $36 million is a lot of money still to be raised. It is not coincidental that an irrevocable parcel tax that will provide millions of dollars a year for 25 years is written to include undefined expansion and construction. East Bay newspapers have endorsed No on A1 for sound reasons; see also today’s article in the Oakland Tribune (http://www.insidebayarea.com/breaking-news/ci_21915737/tammerlin-drummond-measure-a1-read-fine-print-and). Measure A1 requires blind faith in the zoo board's priorities, when in fact there is no basis for trusting them at all.
The Zoo is on the record as having spent around $1MILLION on its campaign (Zoo director Joel Parrot is recorded on video saying this at a League of Women Voters meeting). One million dollars goes a long way towards buying yard signs, billboards, glossy mailers and more. The opposition has a tiny fraction of that. It's a purely grassroots effort of concerned citizens that want to see a Zoo that cares of animals but also respects the ecosystems that still exist in the Bay Area and that are already ours to enjoy without further taxation or having to pay for access. We do post signs on our property, believe me. But we don't have a Million dollars of campaign funds to blanket the entire county with signs and bus billboards. Now, I do wonder... Why is a zoo that is supposedly in such desperate need of money for the animals, spending a million dollars in marketing and campaign materials? If there was a real grass roots support for the Zoo, it could get this measure passed with 1/100th of that expenditure. But the fact that it's pushing a massively expensive media blitz, when supposedly in dire financial straits, should give anyone who follows money trails grave reason for concern. Especially when it appears those expenditures have been done in violation of election law: http://bitly.com/S6a1rL.
I found this article in support of "Yes" on A-1 insightful, pragmatic, and detailed. http://sanleandro.patch.com/articles/letter-to-the-editor-conservation-director-at-the-oakland-zoo-says-yes-on-measure-a-1-7f0a56c2#photo-11845363