Every so often I watch meetings of the Oakland Police Commission on KTOP, the city’s public access T.V. station. I have a negative reaction to the Police Commission to begin with, and seeing it in action is a ringing confirmation of that impression.

You know the old saying: Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Well, Oakland voters are about to get fooled again, if they vote to pass a huge housing bond that’s on the ballot in November.

Fife has never given up on her dream to abolish the Oakland Police Department. She’s tried her best for the last 3-1/2 years, ever since she’s been on the City Council, but she couldn’t quite pull it off, because the idea is really unpopular among the citizens of Oakland, and even Fife occasionally must defer to public opinion.

Fifty-four years ago, mid-winter Manhattan in the year 1970, Leonard Bernstein and his beautiful wife, Felicia, hosted a party and fund raiser in their swanky Park Avenue duplex in honor of the Black Panthers. The Bernsteins had invited several dozen of their society and show business friends, including Peter Duchin, the society band leader, and his wife Cheray, who was thrilled to attend. “I’ve never met a Panther—this is a first for me!” Mrs. Duchin breathlessly told everyone.

Why does Oakland’s Department of Race and Equity make it nearly impossible to find out their annual budget? I’m a good investigative reporter and yet I can’t dig up this information, which I have a right to know as a tax-paying citizen.