El Cerrito is long overdue for a change in leadership.
Despite over a decade of warning signs—financial mismanagement, escalating liabilities, and a deeply troubled General Fund—City Hall has continued to cling to the same failing playbook and the same enabling cast of characters. And now, residents are being asked to fund a $75 million library project, which is being supported through a parcel tax scheme designed more to replenish city coffers than to serve library users.
Let’s be clear: no city with 25,000 residents needs a 20,000 square foot, $75 million library. This isn’t about community literacy or safe infrastructure. This is about political legacy projects and using public sentiment as cover for financial gamesmanship.
The current plan directs parcel tax revenue into the General Fund—money the city can then spend with fewer restrictions, thereby propping up a structurally imbalanced budget.
We’re not fooled.
A History of Ignoring the Red Flags
More than a decade ago, El Cerrito’s financial warning lights were flashing bright red. While city officials touted “fiscal sustainability,” the numbers told a different story—of empty reserves, mounting risk, and financial free fall.
The 2013 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR), discussed during a May 6, 2014 council meeting, was unambiguous:
- The General Fund was already spending nearly $1 million more than it was taking in.
- Unrestricted cash? Less than five days of operating expenses—an extraordinarily dangerous position for any city.
- The unassigned fund balance—the real emergency cushion—was down to just 16 days of coverage.
Maze & Associates, the City’s independent auditor, flagged a material weakness in financial management and warned that continued deficit spending could threaten the city’s ability to operate as a “going concern.”
That is not routine language. It’s the financial equivalent of pulling the fire alarm.
And yet, the city pressed on, business as usual.
Leadership That Looked Away
At the helm during this crisis? Then‑Mayor Greg Lyman, current council member Gabe Quinto, Assistant City Manager Karen Pinkos, and City Manager Scott Hanin. Despite the audit and clear warnings, the response from City Hall was silence—or worse, denial.
This wasn’t just negligence. It was a strategic choice to ignore risk, mislead the public, and reward loyalty over competence.
Fast-forward to today: many of the same individuals—directly or by proxy—remain in power, continuing to dismiss public input, reward underperformance, and prioritize vanity projects over essential services like roads, public safety, and support for seniors.
We appreciate Councilmember William Ktsanes for asking hard questions and pushing for accountability. But one new voice isn’t enough to break this entrenched pattern.
Fast-Forward to 2025: History Repeating
Fast-forward to 2025, and the bond rating has improved but we’re back in familiar territory: the City continues to rely on General Fund unrestricted reserves to balance the budget. According to city projections, we are once again on track to fall below the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) recommended reserve levels as well as below the city’s stated policy.
That’s right—we’re headed back to the precarious financial position we were in during 2014. If this trend continues, El Cerrito could once again attract scrutiny from the California State Auditor.
Less than One Year Left to Choose
We are now less than one year away from the June 2, 2026 primary election and the November 3, 2026 general municipal election—the next opportunity to overhaul the City Council el-cerrito.org+8en.wikipedia.org+8ci.richmond.ca.us+8.
Enough Is Enough
We’re tired of asking questions.
We’re tired of being ignored.
We’re tired of watching the City Manager and several long‑time council members treat residents as obstacles instead of stakeholders.
It’s time to elect new leadership.
New voices. New priorities. A new path forward.
El Cerrito can’t afford more of the same because you can’t recover with the same leadership that created the problems.
#ElCerritoDeservesBetter #NewLeadershipNow #ResponsibleGovernment #TimeForChange
El Cerrito Committee for Responsible Government (ECCRG) 