EDITORIAL:  MEASURE Y

OAKLAND VOTERS in the hills and other parts of the city have spoken: we need more police and social programs to combat violence, and we're willing to pay a parcel tax, apartment tax and parking tax to fund these efforts.

Voters in Berkeley and San Francisco were far less generous about funding for social and other programs.

But Oaklanders, who'd rejected two previous parcel taxes tied to violence-prevention, knew what they wanted.

Their support of Measure Y says, "We have a problem with violence in our community and solutions need to be dual solutions," according to veteran political consultant Larry Tramutola.

On Wednesday, unofficial results released by Alameda County from 257 precincts had Measure Y ahead with 69.8 percent, or 72,128, of votes cast. The "no" vote stood at 30.2 percent or 31,153 votes. The measure requires more than a 66.6 percent approval rating to pass.

This was not small feat, according to Tramutola, who worked on the campaign.

Measure Y supporters had very few financial resources, he said, and they didn't have an extensive network of volunteers to rely on.

"I'm really inspired by people's ability to compromise and be reasonable," said City Councilwoman Jean Quan, District 4 (Montclair, Laurel), who worked extensively with other council members and residents to help forge the compromise. "I'm happy that 70 percent of voters are willing to listen to each other ..."

We are, too.

The results of Measure Y, Tramutola says, should give political activists and residents reasons to feel positive, despite statewide and national results that directly opposed the political choices of many residents. The support for police and other public services being shown by Oakland voters isn't being shown across the country, but it is here.