Local Hero

If you step into any Oakland City Hall meetings, or tune into the broadcasts of such meetings on KTOP, you've seen Sanjiv Handa, an activist-journalist and in my opinion, a local hero.

Last night, Mr. Handa finally made it to our Keep Oakland Beautiful meeting, and I had the pleasure of meeting him.

Journalist (Bulldog)
Sanjiv Handa, East Bay News Service

Keeping public officials honest and in compliance with good-government laws is no small task, but Oakland's Sanjiv Handa has taken on the chore as his life's work. An activist reporter with a taste for rooting out corruption, Handa says he devotes nearly 100 hours each week to watchdogging Oakland officials and publishing a batch of newsletters on government activity for the press and public.

"He's like a one-man news service, activist organization, and law firm all rolled in one," said Randy Lyman, FOI Committee chair of the SPJ's Northern California Chapter. "He's sued the city a number of times to get records. He never seems to slow down."

Handa's crusades have so angered Oakland mayor Jerry Brown that about a year ago Brown severely limited access to the City Hall pressroom, which used to be available to reporters at nearly any hour of the day. Journalists can now only use the space during city council meetings.

Still, that hasn't seemed to deter Handa. He continues to stay on top of the "open meetings and public records aspect of things and files any number of complaints with the Public Ethics Commission," Lyman said. "He wins about half the time."

While most journalists won't speak publicly at City Hall meetings as a matter of principle, Handa ignores that convention. In the middle of a session, it's not uncommon for him to head up to the podium to scold officials for failing to give proper notice of agenda items or events.

Handa's East Bay News Service has put out many publications over the years (including the Six Minute Report, the Oakland Shadow, and the Oakland Digest) in which uncovered scandals at the Port Commission, unveiled juicy details of high-paid officials' contracts, and profiled the city's best and worst employees. (Rachel Brahinsky)

From the San Francisco Bay Guardian