El Cerrito’s Library Plan: Big Price Tag, Shrinking Foot Traffic

The City of El Cerrito is pushing ahead with plans for a 21,000 square-foot library at a cost of over $75 million—and the price could ultimately reach $100 million. The proposed funding mechanism? A $300 per year parcel tax that residents would be locked into forever with periodic escalation.

At first glance, investing in public infrastructure sounds like progress. But the numbers and priorities raise serious questions.

Declining Use in a Digital Age

Over the last decade, physical library visits have dropped significantly—40% since 2016 here in El Cerrito. In an era when residents increasingly access e-books, audiobooks, research databases, and online learning platforms, a costly, oversized building may not reflect how people actually use library services today.

Who Actually Runs Our Libraries?

It’s important to remember that Contra Costa County runs our library system, not the City of El Cerrito. The County determines staffing levels, programming, and service delivery. Yet the City wants residents to finance a massive new building it won’t directly control—raising questions about whether the return on investment will truly match the price tag.

A Community Getting Older—Without a Senior Center

According to the American Community Survey (2019–2023), 27% of El Cerrito residents are age 60 or older:

• 60–64: 1,868 people
• 65–69: 1,516 people
• 70–74: 1,441 people
• 75–79: 881 people
• 80–84: 592 people
• 85+: 694 people

That’s nearly 7,000 residents in a city of roughly 26,000—more than one in four. And that percentage is growing. Yet the City has shown no real interest in building a dedicated senior center to serve this substantial and growing demographic.

The Real Question

Why is the City prioritizing an expensive, oversized library over investments that would benefit a broader share of the community—especially when the facility’s primary functions have shifted online? Shouldn’t we be weighing all capital projects against current usage patterns, demographic trends, and actual community needs?

What Residents Can Do

The only way to change the outcome is for residents to get involved:

• Attend City Council meetings and speak during public comment.
• Write to your Councilmembers:
  • Mayor Carolyn Wysinger – cwysinger@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us
  • Mayor Pro Tem Gabe Quinto – gquinto@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us
  • Councilmember Lisa Motoyama – lmotoyama@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us
  • Councilmember Rebecca Saltzman – rsaltzman@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us
  • Councilmember William Ktsanes – wktsanes@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us

Do not sign the library petition requesting the City to move forward on a citizen vote. If the measure makes it to the ballot, vote NO on the library tax. Let the City know you expect investments that meet the needs of all residents—especially our growing senior population—before committing to decades of debt for an oversized, underused facility.