For more than a decade, Councilmember Gabe Quinto has sat on the El Cerrito City Council. With his visibility at community events and a polished public persona, he’s managed to remain in office. But when you peel back the layers, one fact becomes undeniable: he has done nothing to strengthen this city or to meet residents’ needs.
Instead of leadership, Quinto has given us optics. Instead of solutions, he has given us meaningless soundbites. And now, with another election on the horizon in November 2026, residents must ask themselves: has El Cerrito benefited in any meaningful way from his time on the council?
Deficit Budgets, Year After Year
The financial health of El Cerrito has been a recurring crisis. Our pension liability stands at $83 million. The city has leaned on reserves to cover shortfalls instead of fixing underlying problems.
Who pays the price? Residents. Families paying some of the highest property taxes in the region have watched their services shrink. Parents have fewer library hours for their children. Seniors have lost access to their center. Residents and contractors deal with city offices closed every other Friday.
And yet, through it all, Quinto has consistently voted for deficit budgets. Not once has he challenged the cycle of short-term fixes or pressed for real reform. His approach has been to avoid hard choices, leaving residents to shoulder the consequences.
Headlines Over Substance
If you’ve listened to Quinto in council meetings, you know the pattern. He talks about relationships, community spirit, or personal anecdotes. But when it comes time to address tough issues — from financial sustainability to accountability — his words stop short.
Residents don’t need empty headlines. They need solutions. They need a councilmember who will fight to restore services, reduce waste, and put residents’ needs ahead of political convenience. Instead, Quinto has chosen the easy role of visibility without responsibility.
Zero Impact for the Community
After all these years on the council, what has Quinto actually delivered? The answer is nothing of substance.
For seniors, his leadership allowed the closure of the senior center, stripping away a vital hub for health, social support, and community connection. For families, he’s stood by as library hours were reduced, cutting off access to resources for children, students, and lifelong learners. For small businesses, he’s offered no vision for creating a stable, supportive environment where local shops can thrive instead of struggling against higher tax costs and reduced city services.
He voted to eliminate parking on Richmond Street, impacting our neighbors who have one car garages, are seniors, disabled or have small children.
A true leader would have fought for these residents. Instead, Quinto has offered ceremonial remarks and little else. He has left no mark of meaningful leadership.
Campaign Contributions Without a Clear Agenda
Even outside the council chamber, Quinto’s record raises questions. A significant portion of his campaign contributions are directed toward other campaigns rather than building his own platform or vision for El Cerrito.
This may strengthen his political alliances, but it does nothing for residents who want clarity about his priorities. What is his plan for restoring services? For stabilizing finances? For reducing liabilities? The truth is, he doesn’t have one.
Gabe Quinto’s Record
Budgets: Voted for repeated deficits, deepening financial instability. Services: Library hours reduced, city offices closed biweekly, senior programs eliminated — never restored. Pensions: $89 million liability and growing. Impact on Residents: Seniors lost their center, families lost library access, businesses got no support.
Agenda: No plan of his own; contributions redirected to others’ campaigns.
November 2026: El Cerrito’s Chance for Change
Gabe Quinto’s current term ends in 2026, and he will be up for reelection in the November 2026 election. That election isn’t just about one seat — it’s about the kind of leadership we expect in El Cerrito.
Do we want councilmembers who show up for photo ops but fail to fight for services? Or do we want leaders who care about families, seniors, and businesses — and who will do the hard work of confronting financial realities?
We cannot afford another four years of deficit budgets, service cuts, and no solutions.
NEXT STEPS
In November 2026, El Cerrito residents will have a choice:
❌ Continue with deficit budgets and service cuts.
❌ Continue with leaders who offer visibility but no vision.
❌ Continue with Gabe Quinto.
Or:
✅ Vote for leadership with substance.
✅ Vote for leaders who care about families, seniors, and small businesses.
✅ Vote for accountability, reform, and results.
El Cerrito deserves better. In 2026, let’s make the change and vote Gabe Quinto out. Our city cannot afford another term of empty headlines.
El Cerrito Committee for Responsible Government (ECCRG) 