Oakland is getting $12.4 million in state money to employ people on parole to work on Caltrans work crews cleaning roadways. Called Golden State Works, Caltrans has spent $43.6 million through the program in Oakland since 2011.
“In Oakland we are always proud to support community members who are trying to get on their feet and give back,” Mayor Barbara Lee said in a press release on Wednesday.
This contract will be administered by Oakland’s Workforce Development Board, which oversees the city’s employment and training programs. Lee has made local employment a key issue in her economic development plan. The city recently reinstated a summer youth employment program, and Lee’s office plans to expand the program to serve 500 participants by 2026…