When nearby cities like Pinole, San Pablo, and Albany wanted new libraries, they didn’t rush to tax their residents indefinitely — nor did they ask for three times more than the project actually costs.
El Cerrito officials claim the new library will cost about $21 million, yet they’re asking voters to approve a tax that collects about $3 million per year for at least 30 years — more than $75 million in total. If the library truly costs $21 million, the question is simple: where does the rest of the money go?
Pinole: Smart Funding, Real Progress
Pinole’s 17,000-square-foot library was funded through a mix of state grants and local support, not an open-ended tax. In 2022, the city secured $2.6 million from the California State Library’s Building Forward program to renovate and modernize the facility — a perfect example of using available state resources before asking residents for more money.
San Pablo: New Library, No Blank Check
San Pablo’s 20,000-square-foot LEED-certified library opened in 2017 — fully funded through a defined $6.5 million capital project, managed within the city’s means. The city worked with Contra Costa County and the state to secure construction funding and avoided any permanent tax burden.
Albany: Sustainable Support Through Transparency
Albany has long supported its library through a time-limited parcel tax, first adopted in 1994, to maintain operations — not to enrich developers or take on speculative debt. The city has explored modest expansion plans, but only with clear costs, defined benefits, and a focus on community needs.
El Cerrito: A Tax Without a Library
El Cerrito is the that didn’t bother to apply for grants and is the only city proposing a forever tax. This proposed tax does not guarantee a library will ever be built. Instead, the city plans to use the new tax as a revenue stream to issue bonds, handing over more than $20 million to a private developer — a developer who still doesn’t have financing in place and whose project is already behind schedule.
The city’s approach is backwards: rather than applying for state and federal library grants — like Pinole did — El Cerrito wants taxpayers to front the first traunch of funding so the developer can try to secure the rest. There’s no plan, no guaranteed timeline, and no assurance the library will be completed in five years, ten years, or ever.
Don’t Be Misled —
The so-called “citizens group” pushing petitions for this tax is led by former mayor Greg Lyman who nearly bankrupted El Cerrito once before. Don’t let history repeat itself.
Vote NO on the library initiative.
Do not sign petitions for another blank-check tax. Demand accountability, transparency, and a library plan that actually serves residents — not developers.
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El Cerrito Committee for Responsible Government (ECCRG) 