Mayor Carolyn Wysinger and the Measure of True Inclusion
Mayor Carolyn Wysinger entered office with a powerful story — one rooted in representation, visibility, and inclusion. As the first openly Black lesbian mayor in California, her leadership carries symbolic weight and a promise of progress for a city still emerging from years of fiscal strain. Under her tenure, El Cerrito has been removed from the State Auditor’s “high-risk” list, celebrated for its diversity, and publicly branded as a welcoming, forward-looking community.
Those achievements matter. But headlines don’t measure leadership — it’s measured by follow-through.
The State Auditor’s “high-risk” list includes the bottom three percent of California cities. Getting off that list doesn’t mean financial stability; it simply means the city is no longer in bankruptcy freefall. El Cerrito’s unfunded pension liability still exceeds $80 million—the city hasn’t paid a dime against it; personnel costs consume roughly 73% of the General Fund; pension costs are 16% of the budget; and reserves remain at the bare minimum required by policy. These are not indicators of fiscal health. They are warning lights.
Passion and identity can inspire, but they cannot substitute for disciplined governance. The city still lacks a funded capital renewal plan for its infrastructure. Service levels remain inconsistent. And despite ambitious language about transformation, there is little published evidence of measurable improvement in basic functions — no clear data showing faster pothole repairs, restored library hours, or reduced reliance on reserves.
That gap between message and measurable outcome became painfully evident in the Richmond Street “Complete Streets” project.
When Leadership Forgets to Listen
Mayor Wysinger’s handling of the Richmond Street project reflects a troubling disregard for the people who are most vulnerable in this city — the elderly, the disabled, and multigenerational families — and a pattern of dismissiveness that runs counter to the basic principles of ethical leadership.
A just leader listens most carefully to those who will be most affected by change. When longtime residents raise concerns about access, safety, or being cut off from their homes, that isn’t privilege — that’s lived reality. Dismissing those concerns as “performative activism” or framing them as obstructionist doesn’t make you brave. It makes you careless with other people’s lives.
A truly just vision for the future never treats elders as disposable. It never builds policy on the assumption that walking farther, enduring more pain, or navigating inaccessible infrastructure is something people should simply “tough out.” The measure of any community isn’t how sleek its plans are — it’s how it treats those whose bodies, needs, and histories aren’t convenient.
The rhetoric used — suggesting you “can’t find empathy,” brushing off the loss of curb access as irrelevant, and implying that people in houses don’t represent the working class — shows a fundamental misunderstanding of the very residents you claim to represent. El Cerrito is full of homes where three and sometimes four generations share the same roof: caregivers coming home from double shifts, grandparents caring for grandchildren, and people living with chronic pain or disability. If they’re not part of your vision, then your vision isn’t one of equity — it’s one of exclusion.
The Real Test of Leadership
Leadership demands more than passion. It requires restraint, accountability, and the humility to serve those who are not politically advantageous.
Mayor Wysinger has elevated El Cerrito’s profile and restored a measure of civic pride — but progress must extend beyond image. The work now is to rebuild fiscal integrity, deliver reliable services, and prove that inclusion is more than a brand.
A city that claims compassion must show it in its budgets, its projects, and its tone. It must weigh every decision against one question: Who will this help — and who will it leave behind?
Mayor Wysinger has had several years to prove herself, and she has shown us little. It’s time to elect someone who not only has passion but also possesses financial expertise — something she has consistently lacked — and a strong dedication to services that directly enhance residents’ lives.
If you share these concerns, make your voice heard:
📧 cityclerk@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us
🌐 http://www.el-cerrito.org/CityCouncil
El Cerrito Committee for Responsible Government (ECCRG) 