El Cerrito residents are already facing a high tax burden. When purchasing our home, we were impacted by the Real Property Transfer Tax (RPTT) on top of existing taxes. Now, on the heels reducing library hours the City is now asking us to take on even more financial responsibility on top of an existing base:
Measure X: Supporting Contra Costa County’s Essential Services
Approved by Contra Costa County voters on November 3, 2020, Measure X is a 20-year countywide initiative funded by a ½ cent sales tax that began collection on April 1, 2021. This measure aims to ensure the operation and staffing of the regional hospital, fund community health centers, enhance emergency response capabilities, and support crucial safety-net services. Additional objectives include investing in early childhood services, protecting vulnerable populations, and maintaining other essential county services.
Measure R: Sustaining El Cerrito’s Community Services
El Cerrito residents voted in November 2014 to extend Measure R, a one percent sales tax, for twelve years until March 31, 2027. Initially passed in 2010, this tax enables the city to preserve the quality of life by maintaining essential services aligned with community priorities. These include rapid 9-1-1 responses, neighborhood police patrols, crime prevention efforts, fire protection services, and the upkeep of city parks and recreational facilities. The City Council engages in an annual budget process to allocate these funds effectively, emphasizing community involvement and fiscal accountability through independent audits, public reports and an annual review by FAB.
Measure V: El Cerrito’s Real Property Transfer Tax
Enacted in November 2018 via Ordinance No. 2018-03, Measure V introduced a Real Property Transfer Tax in El Cerrito, setting a tax rate of $12 per $1,000 of property value. This ordinance is integral to the city’s fiscal strategy, with the transfer tax being a critical component of the property transaction process.
Controversial Tax Proposals and Fiscal Accountability
El Cerrito is currently promoting a perpetual $300 tax aimed at funding a new library.
However, skepticism surrounds this proposal due to unfulfilled promises from past tax measures. There are concerns that once the library is funded, leftover funds may be diverted to the general fund, potentially setting the stage for future tax initiatives aimed at covering ongoing budget deficits.
This situation underscores the need for transparent and accountable fiscal management to maintain public trust and ensure the effective use of taxpayer money before we will approve another tax measure.
El Cerrito Committee for Responsible Government (ECCRG) 
El Cerrito is currently promoting a perpetual $300 tax aimed at funding a new library.
Is this specified to only provide for the initial bricks and mortar? Otherwise El Cerrito will need every cent it can get for the future support of the library. The present library has presented for 60+ years how a community has failed to provide for its kids (esp. middle and high school) students, seniors, those not confident in English who would benefit from dramatically expanded foreign language resources and many others. The County provides exactly what it specifies in its agreement with the City re personnel and collection. Take a look at Lafayette, Orinda, Hercules, Danville and see the pride and support that those communities take in their libraries as more than just in and out is there a new mystery for me? locations.
Our existing staff do an unbelievable job under dreadful circumstances (and especially with younger kids). The bond issue for the new Plaza station is minuscule compared to needs regardless of the BART support. $300/year (is that what is suggested?) is a pittance compared to our needs. And does anyone ever think about tomorrow?
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Sir, the tax is a forever tax so after the library is built, the city will continue to collect the tax Few people would argue against the library. The location and never ending tax does however cause concern. Did you happen to read the article a few days ago on the construction bond?
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