The City of El Cerrito recently released its monthly disbursement and check register. While such reports might seem like a step toward transparency, they offer little insight into the city’s financial health. A check register is merely a list of payments made within a specific time frame, without providing any context about the overall budget, planned expenditures, or financial strategy.
The Problem with the Check Register
The check register lists various disbursements, from utility bills to police equipment purchases. However, it lacks critical details that would help residents understand the city’s financial position:
- Revenue is Listed by Category: The report lists revenue by category, not by department, making it difficult to track whether income projections are being met.
- Expenses are Listed by Department: While expenses are shown by department, there is no clear comparison to the approved budget.
- Capital Expenditures Are Hidden: The city’s practice of blending capital expenditures with operational costs obscures the financial reality. For instance, the recent $1.6 million church purchase is buried within routine expenses, masking its impact on reserve funds.
A More Transparent Approach
True financial transparency requires more than a simple disbursement list. The city should:
- Publish Revenue Details: Share projected revenue by category with regular updates comparing actual income to original forecasts.
- Report Budget vs. Actual Expenditures: Offer monthly reports that compare spending to the initial budget by department.
- Separate Capital Expenditures: List large, one-time purchases separately to clearly show their impact on reserves.
By moving the financial goalposts and presenting check registers as transparency, the city creates a false sense of stability. In reality, these practices hide the ongoing use of reserves and the financial strain from significant expenditures like the $1.6 million church purchase.
Contact Your Councilmembers
If you believe El Cerrito should adopt more transparent financial practices, contact your City Councilmembers:
- Mayor Carolyn Wysinger: cityclerk@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us
- Mayor Pro Tem Gabe Quinto: cityclerk@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us
- Councilmember William Ktsanes: cityclerk@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us
- Councilmember Lisa Motoyama: cityclerk@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us
- Councilmember Rebecca Saltzman: cityclerk@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us
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El Cerrito Committee for Responsible Government (ECCRG) 