On Tuesday, the El Cerrito City Council voted 4-0 to put a measure on the November ballot to extend our city’s Measure R one percent sales tax “until voters end it.” While the council members briefly considered a 30 or 35-year sunset, they ultimately decided on an indefinite extension. This decision raises significant concerns about accountability for fiscal management.
Why would our City Council want to make it so hard for future voters to renew or not renew a tax that generates about $4 million a year for the general fund? Measure R is currently a 12-year tax that expires in 2027. By changing it to an indefinite extension, the council effectively takes away the voters’ existing right to renew or not renew the tax every 12 years. This reduces fiscal accountability and transparency.
The city manager and council members discussed the repeal process as an easy task. However, the reality is quite different. Here’s the process to end such a tax:
- Initiating the Ballot Process: Voters must place a local initiative on the ballot. This requires a multi-step process:
- Collecting Signatures: Signatures from 10 percent of all registered voters in El Cerrito must be collected. As of today, there are 17,458 registered voters, so 1,746 signatures would be needed.
- Filing Requirements: Before collecting signatures, voters must prepare and file a notice of intent and pay a $200 filing fee.
- Petition Certification: If the petition contains the required number of signatures, the City Council must take one of the following actions:
- Adopt the Ordinance: Without alteration, within 10 days of petition certification.
- Order an Election: Immediately.
- Order a Report: Pursuant to Elections Code Section 9212. Upon presentation of the report, the City Council must either adopt the ordinance within 10 days or order an election.
Many urged the City Council members to reconsider this decision. Instead of an indefinite extension, the ballot measure should ask voters to extend Measure R until a fixed expiration date. This would ensure continued oversight and accountability for the city’s fiscal management.
Instead, they ignored us, with the Mayor saying those who requested a sunset would vote “no” anyway. The City consistently relies on Godbe Research, citing data to support their decision. What they didn’t disclose was that Godbe designed the questions around the desired result. This reliance on biased research undermines the integrity of the decision-making process and further distances the council from the community’s best interests.
The city council was diametrically opposed to a 12-year renewal, citing that they’ll go back to the voters with a sunset if the measure fails in November.
El Cerrito voters – vote wisely in November.
El Cerrito Committee for Responsible Government (ECCRG) 