Where Did the Money Go?

El Cerrito’s Tax Trail—and Why Voters Should Demand Accountability Before Approving Another $3 Million a Year

For more than a decade, El Cerrito has asked residents to dig deeper into their wallets—promising better services, improved facilities, and stronger community programs. The problem? Despite layer upon layer of new taxes, residents still can’t see where the money went—or what it achieved. Let’s take a look at the record.

A Decade of Promises and General Fund Deposits

2014 – Measure R (Sales Tax Renewal)
Marketed as a way to “protect and maintain city services,” this 1% sales tax was supposed to safeguard police, fire, and library programs. What voters didn’t realize was that Measure R was a general tax—meaning all the revenue flowed into the City’s General Fund, where it could be spent on anything.

2018 – Measure V (Real Property Transfer Tax)
This measure allowed the City to tax home sales up to 1.2%, supposedly to help pay for 911 response, parks, senior services, and youth programs. Once again, the money went straight into the General Fund, without any line-item tracking or transparency on how those dollars were actually used.

2019 – Measure H (Recreation Facilities Tax)
This extended the special tax, initially meant to support the Swim Center and other recreation programs. Voters were told the funds would maintain and improve recreation facilities. Yet in 2025, City staff reported that they had already used unrestricted reserves to fund pool repairs and were now proposing to use even more. If the City collects a dedicated tax for the pool, why are unrestricted General Fund dollars still being diverted to cover the exact costs? What happened to the pool money?

2024 – Measure G (Permanent 1% Sales Tax)
Instead of letting old taxes expire—or showing what they accomplished—the City made the temporary sales tax permanent. They promised to maintain services and prevent cuts, but no clear accountability report has followed.

The Same Pattern, Over and Over

El Cerrito repeatedly tells voters that new taxes will preserve essential services, maintain facilities, and improve the quality of life. Yet every major measure since 2014—sales taxes, the transfer tax, and even the “temporary” ones—have become permanent and gone into the General Fund. That means there’s no guaranteed spending on pools, parks, libraries, or seniors—just a broad pot of money that’s spent however City Hall decides. Meanwhile, the Swim Center needs significant repairs, the Senior Center was shuttered, and the City continues to draw down its reserves while asking for more.

The New “Library Initiative”: A Familiar Story

Now, El Cerrito is asking voters to approve yet another **parcel tax—roughly $3 million per year—**to “fund a new library.” But here’s the truth:

• The City has no finalized construction plan or guaranteed schedule.
• The developer lacks full financing for the El Cerrito Plaza project.
• The City plans to use taxpayer funds to issue bonds—effectively loaning money to the developer.
• There’s no assurance that the library will ever be built.
  In other words, El Cerrito is asking taxpayers to take on debt and risk before it has demonstrated any track record of fiscal follow-through.

Trust Is Earned Through Transparency

El Cerrito doesn’t have a revenue problem—it has an accountability problem. Residents have shown good faith again and again, approving taxes to invest in their community. But without clear accounting, those votes amount to blank checks. If the City truly wants trust, it should:

• Publish annual reports showing where every tax dollar was spent, measure by measure.
• Demonstrate measurable results—before proposing new revenue.
• Stop using unrestricted reserves to backfill restricted funds.
• Prioritize fixing what’s broken, not funding what’s unplanned.

The Bottom Line

Until El Cerrito proves it can responsibly manage the money it already has, voters should be cautious about giving City Hall another $3 million a year. Ask yourself:
Where did the pool money go?

What happened to the Senior Center?

And why is the City still draining reserves despite record tax collections?
El Cerrito doesn’t need another tax—it requires a precise accounting and planning.

Do not sign the library campaign and Vote NO on the Library Initiative. Demand transparency first.