Port of Oakland benefits economy and community

A recent poll shows that the Port of Oakland significantly benefits the local area by positively affecting the local economy, creating jobs and supporting local communities.

“Our results show that for two years in a row, residents view the Port of Oakland as having a positive impact on its neighboring communities,” Dave Metz, of Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates, the firm that conducted the Port’s Community Satisfaction Survey, said.

The survey, which was conducted by a polling firm based in Oakland, shows that there has been an increase of public recognition toward the Port as an economic engine in the East Bay.

“East Bay residents clearly understand that the Port benefits its surrounding communities,” Christ Lyle, Port of Oakland Executive Director, said. “The Port generates tax revenues, creates jobs, invests in important projects, and utilizes local firms.”

Of the people who participated in the survey, 84 percent reported that the Port of Oakland is very important for the economy in the region. This figure is an increase of two percent compared to polls conducted last year. Another 65 percent of participants said that the Port has also made a positive impact on the local communities, which marks an increase of one percent compared to last year.

“While the Port of Oakland has made very significant strides in air quality, we recognize that there’s still a lot more work to be done,” Port of Oakland Director of Environmental Programs and Planning Richard Sinkoff said.

The phone survey included over 1,100 registered voters in Contra Costa and Alameda counties.