El Cerrito: Services Down

El Cerrito’s leaders are celebrating a credit rating upgrade to A-, the same level the city held back in 2019. On paper, this looks like progress. But behind the headlines, residents should ask a harder question: how is the city really managing the money entrusted to it?

Over the years, El Cerrito has consistently taken revenues intended for public services and instead funneled them into the general fund to patch deficits and build reserves.

Promises Made, Promises Broken

When the Real Property Transfer Tax was put before voters, it was pitched as a way to fund essential services like the senior center. But after the tax began generating far more than the projected $2.7 million annually, city leaders permanently closed the senior center. The money never went where it was promised.

Similarly, the city received $6.1 million in federal ARPA relief—funds meant to help residents and small businesses survive the pandemic. Instead, the city used that money for employee compensation.

Rising Revenues, Declining Services

Tax revenues have soared in recent years. Millions more flow into city coffers every year through property and sales taxes. Yet residents have seen services cut back:

City employees now work 37.5 hours a week instead of 40, and city offices are closed every other Friday. Library hours have been cut, reducing community access. The senior center was permanently closed, despite earlier promises. The city has no plan to pay down the $89 million CalPERS pension liability. No plan for a fire station, EMS equipment, or a swimming pool. No funding to restore the Ohlone Greenway or reverse the decline in the city’s pavement index (down from 85 to 68). And despite having one of the highest staffing levels per capita in the region, the city still fails to deliver the basic services residents expect.

In other words, the numbers look strong for Wall Street, but the reality is falling apart for El Cerrito residents.

A Question of Priorities

While services wither, senior management received raises worth well over $1 million in present value. The city manager’s contract was extended for five years, with council members lining up to praise her as tax hikes and service cuts continued.

Community Services

Senior center permanently closed Library hours reduced City offices closed every other Friday Shorter work week for city employees Pavement index declined from 85 to 68 No funding plan for pensions, fire station, EMS, or pool High staffing levels per capita but poor service delivery

El Cerrito doesn’t just need a better bond rating. It needs leadership that puts residents first. We need a City Council and city manager who care about restoring libraries- without tax hikes, senior services, and community infrastructure—not just building reserves and rewarding executives.