'Enough is enough': Frustrated Oakland business owners threaten to stop paying taxes amid rampant robberies, break-ins in the city — do they have a legit beef?

La Perla, a family-owned restaurant on Fruitvale Avenue, has been robbed twice at gunpoint, and Ortiz says he rarely sees police patrols.

Ortiz, and many other Oakland business owners, are now warning the city they won’t pay their taxes unless they see the services they’re paying for effectively deal with the increase in crime.

Increased crime is hurting sales, closing dining rooms

"We're scared for our lives,” says Nestor Sanchez, manager at Cybelle's Pizza in the Dimond District. Sanchez is considering joining the tax protest.

In January alone, his restaurant was burglarized twice and robbed twice, and he recently fought a thief who tried to grab the cash register by pulling out a hammer.

"We're really struggling. Sales have dropped 20%," Sanchez adds.

For his part, Oritz told NBC Bay Area he’s seen a 25% drop in business, with customers staying away because they don’t feel safe.

And it’s not just small businesses at stake. Business Insider recently reported Taco Bell is shutting dining rooms of at least three locations in the city (the drive-thrus remain open), following several robberies. Target, In-N-Out, and Denny's have also closed Oakland locations over safety concerns.

Efforts to oust Oakland mayor are ramping up

Some citizens have denounced Mayor Sheng Thao for not doing enough to tackle Oakland crime and are pursuing a recall campaign.