El Cerrito has a long history of asking residents to approve new taxes with big promises — only to quietly reroute those funds into the general fund once the measure passes. The result? Broken commitments, deferred maintenance, and declining trust. Time after time, residents have voted in good faith, believing they were investing in specific services or facilities. Yet the outcomes tell a different story.
2008 – The Streets Tax That Paved the Way for Decline
In 2008, voters approved a tax to maintain and repair El Cerrito’s streets, sold as an investment in public safety and infrastructure. For years, the city touted an impressive pavement condition index (PCI) of 85 — among the best in the region. But recently, that number has dropped to 68, a steep decline signaling years of underinvestment and neglect. Where did the money go? Instead of being protected for street work, much of it was absorbed into the general fund, losing the accountability that residents were promised.
2018 – Measure V: The Real Property Transfer Tax That Delivered Real Disappointment
Measure V was framed as a way to fund community services, including programs for seniors. The tax brought in far more money than projected — a financial windfall. But instead of expanding services, the city reduced them and permanently shuttered the senior center. That’s not fiscal prudence; it’s fiscal bait-and-switch. The tax revenues became a flexible line item rather than a tool for community enrichment.
2019 – Measure H: The Recreation Tax That Left Residents Holding the Bag
Measure H was supposed to maintain the swim center and support local recreation. Yet today, the city is short several million dollars for basic swim center repairs. Community groups have been forced to fundraise on their own just to maintain functional facilities. Residents paid the tax; the city pocketed the funds; and the “recreation improvements” never fully materialized.
2024 – Measure G: A Safety Measure That Didn’t Secure Safety
The latest example, Measure G, relied on a fear-based campaign — warning that rejecting it would harm public safety. Voters approved it believing it would stabilize fire and police services. But soon after, the City Council publicly struggled to find money to replace a 15-year-old fire engine or update EMS equipment. The funding supposedly guaranteed for safety disappeared into the same opaque budget pool as before.
NOW – The Proposed Library Tax: Another Promise on Thin Ice
Now the city is asking for yet another tax — this time for a library tied to the delayed Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) project. The plan shifts risk away from developers and squarely onto taxpayers, with automatic annual increases tied to two separate indexes. The tax will even pay for expanded library hours at a time when library use is declining — and without dedicated parking. The library itself may be years, even decades, away. The project is already behind schedule, and library advocates have retracted several of their earlier claims about the proposal.
So, are you expecting this tax to actually produce a library any time soon? El Cerrito’s track record suggests otherwise.
Each time, the story repeats: a persuasive campaign, a narrowly targeted tax, and then the quiet transfer of funds into the general fund, where oversight fades. Residents deserve better — transparency, accountability, and results that match the promises.
It’s time for El Cerrito to stop using taxpayers’ trust as a blank check.
Influenced by a concerned citizen’s post.
El Cerrito Committee for Responsible Government (ECCRG) 