Despite mounting deficits, rising liabilities, and a shrinking cushion of reserves, the El Cerrito City Council voted 4-1 to adopt the FY 2025–26 budget. The lone dissenting vote came from Council Member William Ktsanes—the only member to stay true to his campaign commitment to fiscal responsibility and transparent governance. He recognized what the others ignored: the urgent need for structural reform.
The adopted budget opens with a $5.4 million deficit. Yet, the City’s unrestricted reserves stand at roughly $11 million—an amount that will be quickly eroded if El Cerrito continues to spend without making hard choices. Once again, the General Fund is running a deficit. Once again, the CalPERS Unfunded Accrued Liability (UAL) continues to grow. And once again, the Council has no viable strategy for addressing the very needs residents care about most.
No Plans, No Priorities, No Accountability
What is the plan to replace or repair the aging swim center?
None.
How will the city fund a new fire truck or public safety equipment?
There is no plan.
What about dedicated funding for a senior center—long discussed, long promised?
Nothing in the budget.
When asked, the City Manager stated that there was no funding available for a senior center. But how would she know what’s possible without evaluating what El Cerrito could afford if we right-sized staffing and spending to match other cities of comparable size?
Instead, we heard excuses. We heard misdirection. And we saw once again that citizen input doesn’t matter.
Ignoring the Public and Silencing Oversight
The Financial Advisory Board (FAB) made formal recommendations—twice.
The Council refused to even vote to receive them. Rather than debate those proposals in public view, the Council pulled the items from the agenda and voted to dismiss the discussion until a later (undetermined) time.
Even during the budget hearing, citizen voices were stifled. The Finance Director often failed to speak into the microphone, making it difficult for attendees to follow key details. The Council can’t afford to fix the audio-visual system in its own chambers, yet it just approved another year of structural imbalances with no clear path forward.
Shifting Stories and Empty Promises
Council Member Lisa Motoyama voiced concern that unrestricted reserves may soon fall below the City’s 17% minimum threshold—but she voted yes anyway. She often champions financial reform; now she mocks dissenters and downplays service gaps.
In 2018, Council Member Gabe Quinto publicly supported a dedicated senior center. Now, he calls it a “niche need” and says El Cerrito’s focus should be on pet projects funded by new taxes and reserves: new library, followed by a public safety building—not services for aging residents or basic services for the community. When questioned, he dismissed the issue by saying the existing community center is good enough.
Councilmember Saltzman did not speak much, but also voted for another deficit budget that continues to rely on dwindling reserves.
Council Member Ktsanes rightly challenged the absence of planning for fire resilience, for senior services, and for the UAL Trust. He suggested leveraging county support or shared facilities like the Veterans building, but was immediately shut down by city management—again, citing “no funding.”
We’re Running Out of Time—and Money
Mayor Carolyn Wysinger flatly rejected the idea of a senior center, calling it a niche concern – yet championed the Richmond Street bike lane- another niche concern. She and the majority praised management’s budget process—even as the numbers show we’re sliding toward zero unrestricted reserves and unsustainable operations.
If current trends continue, the City will soon be forced to tap into emergency funds just to meet day-to-day obligations.
Meanwhile, the Council continues to rubber stamp budgets that ignore oversight, dismiss priorities, and postpone hard decisions.
🗳️ The Vote Is the Only Voice Left
Let’s name it plainly:
El Cerrito is once again on a path toward financial collapse.
The councilmembers who approved this trajectory—and are up for re-election in 2026—include:
- Mayor Carolyn Wysinger
- Mayor Pro Tem Gabe Quinto
If you’re concerned about declining services, neglected infrastructure, and misaligned priorities, remember: your vote is your voice.
The time to hold leaders accountable is now—not after the next crisis hits.
El Cerrito Committee for Responsible Government (ECCRG) 