Supporters of the library tax are presenting a rosy picture. However, the details they leave out are significant. Here’s how their claims stack up against the facts:
| Their Claim | The Facts |
|---|---|
| “The library will have underground parking.” | The underground parking is for the housing project—not library visitors. The library footprint will also consume 800 Plaza parking spaces. To control the loss, the City will impose 2-hour limits that hurt seniors, families, and community users. |
| “The Plaza Station site is the least costly option.” | Residents will pay millions in taxes to build a library on land the city doesn’t own. The $1 lease sounds cheap, but it means taxpayers subsidize BART’s housing project while giving up ownership. |
| “The tax is capped at 17¢ per square foot and ends in 30 years.” | That’s about $300 per year for the average household. Renters won’t escape it—landlords will pass it on. The tax covers construction and only the first ten years of operations. After that, another tax is almost certain. The 30-year cap runs long after the building may need major repairs. |
| “Citizen oversight will ensure accountability.” | Oversight boards only see what staff provide. Past “fiscal reviews” didn’t stop the city from draining reserves or ignoring pension debt. The RPTT tax promised oversight too—yet no reports have been produced since 2018. Once voters approve this tax, control is gone. |
| “This is a limited-time opportunity we can’t miss.” | The “now or never” pitch is pressure politics. The library is a political add-on to justify BART’s housing project. Rushing into a 30-year tax isn’t responsible—it’s reckless. |
Reserves Inflated
The agent of the city, Greg Lyman, touts $20 million in reserves. However, he is famously known for omitting important details. It’s essential information. What he doesn’t tell you is that much of it is earmarked for significant emergency funding.
Bottom Line
This isn’t about whether El Cerrito deserves a library—it does. The real question is whether this tax measure is fair. With tighter parking, higher costs, no land ownership, and a history of broken oversight, residents deserve the truth—not spin.
Less than $13 million remains for unrestricted general fund reserves. He conveniently doesn’t mention the $83 million and funded pension liability, or that the city has habitually spent more expenses than revenue, and there’s no solution in place for depleting unrestricted reserves.
El Cerrito Committee for Responsible Government (ECCRG) 