Too Many Staff, Too Little Service

Staffing Levels: A Key Driver of Payroll, Pension Costs, and Declining Productivity

El Cerrito’s staffing structure is significantly larger and more expensive than those of peer cities of similar size. This isn’t just about “overhead” — it’s a major driver of payroll and pension costs that are consuming the city’s operating budget.

The city’s $53.8 million operating budget is being consumed by payroll and pension obligations at a rate far higher than comparable cities. Each year, El Cerrito pays roughly $8.5 million in required pension contributions — that’s nearly 16% of the entire operating budget before a single service is delivered. On top of that, the city carries an unfunded pension liability of approximately $83 million, a long-term obligation that dwarfs those of neighboring jurisdictions. No other city of similar size shoulders this level of financial burden.

When such a large share of the budget goes toward pension costs and payroll, fewer resources remain for street maintenance, facilities, public safety services, or community programs. And despite this heavy spending, service levels have declined rather than improved.

Yet despite higher staffing levels and higher payroll costs, El Cerrito delivers fewer services. Twice the staff should mean cleaner streets, better-maintained facilities, and exceptional service. Instead, residents are seeing cutbacks in maintenance, deteriorating infrastructure, longer response times, and shrinking library hours.

📊 Fact Box: El Cerrito Staffing vs. Peer Cities

Category	El Cerrito	San Pablo	Albany	Hercules
Population	~25,000	~31,000	~20,000	~26,000
Fire Department	City-run with 4 Battalion Chiefs	Regional fire district (no city battalion chiefs)	City-run with 1 Battalion Chief	Regional fire district (no city battalion chiefs)
City Manager’s Office	City Manager + Assistant City Manager + Executive Assistant, plus staff	City Manager + Assistant City Manager + support staff	City Manager + Assistant to City Manager / PIO	City Manager + 1 Administrative Specialist
Unfunded Pension Liability	$80+ million — unprecedented for a city this size	Significantly lower	Significantly lower	Significantly lower

👉 Extra management layers and high fire command staffing have directly contributed to escalating payroll and pension costs, which now crowd out funding for basic service delivery.

It’s Time for Change

El Cerrito’s residents deserve better than rising payroll costs, ballooning pension obligations, and shrinking services. For too long, city leadership has expanded staffing without demanding measurable results.

It’s time to elect leaders who are fiscally responsible and committed to objective performance standards — especially at the management level. Every dollar spent on excess layers and inefficiency is a dollar that could be spent improving streets, facilities, and public services.

Residents have the power to change the direction of the city. Support candidates who will demand accountability, set clear performance metrics, and ensure that staffing levels translate into tangible results for the community.