Oakland activist accuses progressive mayor Sheng Thao of killing California city and predicts four giant corporations still headquartered in its crime-ridden downtown will leave within months

An Oakland activist has accused progressive Mayor Sheng Thao of killing the California city and predicts the last four major companies still headquartered downtown will leave within months.

Steve Heimoff, president of Coalition for a Better Oakland, lamented that the city had become “a dumping ground of crime, filth and inhumanity.”

He made the grim prediction following the news that Kaiser, PG&E, Clorox and Blue Shield are putting $10 million of their own money into extra safety measures for their workers.

The money will pay for private police and “buddy escorts” to escort workers who don’t feel safe heading out for lunch amid rampant crime downtown.

“I won’t be shocked if, in the next six months, four of Oakland’s largest employers announce they will leave the city, take their thousands of employees with them, and deliver the final blow to our beleaguered city,” Heimoff wrote.

‘Unfortunately, everyone knows it won’t work: too little, too late. But when the companies finally leave town, they can say, ‘Hey, at least we tried,'” Heimoff said.

The “most annoying” thing about the situation was Thao’s self-congratulations after the big four’s announcement, Heimoff said.

“Thao practically broke her arm patting herself on the back for her astute leadership, when the reality is this: Sheng Thao, you and your woke colleagues on the city council got us into this crime epidemic,” he added.

Police in the Californian city recorded 3,690 robberies and 17,256 burglaries in 2023, with many of the victims being downtown office workers.

Since Thao took office in 2023, the area has continued to see a spike in crime.

The Democratic mayor was previously mocked for suggesting that life coaching could be the secret to solving her city’s rising crime.

There was a 21 percent increase in violent crimes, a 38 percent increase in robberies and a 45 percent increase in vehicle thefts between 2021 and 2023, according to police data.

The violence has led to an exodus of major brands, including a profitable In-N-Out Burger that was forced to close due to customer safety concerns.

“Thao, every time a business closes or leaves Oakland, your fingerprints are all over the murder weapon,” Heimoff added.

‘We will not forgive you nor forget your crimes. As much as you pretend to be a born-again police supporter, we know you are not.

“You’re an ambitious, hasty politician who thinks you can fool most people most of the time. We’re going to show you that you can’t get away with it.’

This latest announcement from the four still-major companies suggests they are not immune to the impact of rising crime.

Their funding will pay for eight off-duty officers and one sergeant to perform overtime patrols on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. CBS reports.

‘I didn’t think I would ever work in the security and safety sector. And I hope this doesn’t last much longer,” Paul Markovich, president and CEO of Blue Cross Shield of California, told the newspaper.

The money will also fund more buddy escorts to take people to their cars or transit hubs or even to pick up lunch.

“Having off-duty police officers patrol key areas of Downtown Oakland will obviously increase safety for anyone in those areas. So I think that’s a benefit to the community,” Markovich said.

Employers will also pay for rideshare services and public transportation to ensure their employees can commute safely.

Markovich said employers will also pay for ride-hailing services and public transportation so their employees can get to work safely.

Heimoff is not alone in his criticism: California Governor Gavin Newsom also criticizes the mayor for failing to get a handle on crime.

Newsom reportedly condemned Thao for failing to request funding to combat retail crime in the Bay Area.

In September, the governor’s administration approved more than $267 million to local police departments and district attorneys’ offices across the state to combat organized retail theft.

The 55 winners used it to create task forces, hire and train new staff, and acquire new technologies.