Author Archives: eccrg

What El Cerrito Residents Should Know Before Voting on the Library Tax Tonight, the El Cerrito City Council will hold a study session on exemptions related to the proposed library parcel tax (Measure C). On the surface, this sounds reassuring—especially for seniors. But when you read the details in the agenda packet (pages 75–84), aContinue reading “The “Senior Exemption” Isn’t What It Sounds Like”

El Cerrito voters are once again being asked to open their wallets. But this moment doesn’t exist in isolation. It sits on top of years of tax measures, rising costs, and growing concern that the City’s financial challenges aren’t being fixed—just funded. For many property owners, this isn’t about a single ballot measure anymore. It’sContinue reading “El Cerrito Property Owners Are Tired—And It’s Not Hard to See Why”

A recent social media post from a City Councilmember suggested that El Cerrito is growing. That may be the narrative. It is not the reality. El Cerrito has roughly 25,000 residents today—about the same scale it has been for decades. Growth since 1960 has been modest, and in recent years, population has been flat orContinue reading “El Cerrito Isn’t Growing. So Why Are We Building Like It Is?”

El Cerrito’s financial story is starting to feel familiar. On paper, the numbers appear solid. The City reports $22.6M in total reserves, but just $9.3M—17% of expenditures—is held as General Fund reserves per policy. That sounds stable. But the real question isn’t whether the policy is met today. It’s what’s happening around it. Right now,Continue reading “Diminishing Reserves—Are We Repeating the 2018 Plunge?”

The following analysis is informed by research and materials compiled by a concerned El Cerrito citizen, along with publicly available City documents. Before you vote, take a closer look at what is — and isn’t — being said. This measure is being presented as a simple investment in a new library. But when you stepContinue reading “Measure C: This Is Not a Library Tax — It’s a Tax Using a Library as Bait”

A Response to Measure C Messaging and the “Myths and Facts” Campaign Chelsi Sparti has become the new spokesperson for the YES on Measure C campaign. The campaign supporting Measure C has published a “Myths and Facts” page: A recent interview featuring the new campaign spokesperson Chelsi in conversation with Wally: Chelsi is not featuredContinue reading “When “Facts” Stop Being Facts”

Before you vote on Measure C, it’s worth taking a closer look at the official argument in favor. On its surface, it reads as straightforward and reassuring. But when you examine the details, a different picture emerges—one that relies heavily on selective framing, optimistic assumptions, and in some cases, claims that simply are not supported.Continue reading “The Fine Print Behind Measure C”

A recent campaign finance filing shows that the President and VP of East Bay Sanitary Co., Inc.—the company that holds El Cerrito’s exclusive solid waste contract—contributed $12,500 to the Committee for a Plaza Station Library. This is significant because East Bay Sanitary is not just another local business. It holds an exclusive franchise agreement withContinue reading “No Competition, Higher Rates, and Campaign Contributions”

There’s something deeply uncomfortable about what’s emerging from the pro-library tax campaign. Not because people support a library. Most of us do. But because of how this campaign is choosing to make its case. Buried in the outreach is a call for students—our kids—to join the campaign as “youth social media contributors.” The pitch? SpendContinue reading “Teaching Kids to Sell a Tax Increase?”

A Reality Check on the Library Proposal Supporters of the proposed library tax are now suggesting the project will create an economic boom for El Cerrito. At this point, it feels like they are grasping at straws. Public libraries are valuable community assets. But they are not economic development engines, and they are rarely structuredContinue reading “Economic Boom or Developer Subsidy?”

Over the past several months, El Cerrito residents have heard several different numbers about the cost of a new library. First we were told the project would cost about $21 million.Later, that estimate changed to $37 million. Neither number tells the full story. Both figures focus primarily on construction and do not include interest payments,Continue reading “El Cerrito Library Project: Understanding the $186 Million Tax Burden”

Over the past several City Council meetings, something unusual has been happening in El Cerrito. The last few council meetings have been scheduled at the normal, regular meeting time, yet they have been labeled Special City Council Meetings instead of regular meetings. At first glance, that might seem like a minor administrative detail. It isContinue reading “El Cerrito’s Council Meetings: Special or Regular?”

A Timeline of Leadership and Key Controversies Karen Pinkos became City Manager of El Cerrito in 2018, assuming responsibility as the city’s chief administrative officer. In this role, the city manager oversees financial management, city staff, operational performance, and the major initiatives brought before the City Council. Since that time, El Cerrito has faced aContinue reading “Karen Pinkos and the Direction of El Cerrito”

El Cerrito residents are once again being asked to consider a major public investment: a proposed $37 million library project. Supporters describe it as an investment in the future. But many residents are asking a more basic question: Is this really the city’s most urgent priority right now? When you step back and look atContinue reading “Questioning the City’s Priorities”

In any healthy democracy, trust between the public and its government is built on one essential principle: transparency. When a city openly shares information, explains its decisions, and responds clearly to questions, residents can evaluate those decisions for themselves. Even when people disagree, transparency builds confidence that decisions were made honestly and thoughtfully. But whenContinue reading “Transparency Is the Foundation of Trust”

Influenced by social media In recent weeks, residents have begun asking a simple question: Who is funding the campaign to pass the proposed El Cerrito library parcel tax? That question matters because campaign finance often reveals something that campaign messaging tries to obscure — who benefits and who is driving the agenda. A review ofContinue reading “Follow the Money: Who Is Really Funding the “Yes” Campaign?”

By Betty Buginas Taken from the El Cerrito Wire Copy of email sent the evening of March 10 to the city clerk, city attorney, city manager, and city council members: Since the city has not adequately responded to my public records request, I would like you to confirm the information I was able to locateContinue reading “The city has made a very minimal effort to find a site for a new library on city property”

Inspired by a recent social media post A city council member recently reported via social media that El Cerrito is growing—and that this growth supports the need for a new library. But when you step back and look at the actual numbers, that claim deserves a closer look. In 1960, El Cerrito’s population was 25,437.Continue reading “El Cerrito Isn’t Growing —So Why Are We Planning Like It Is?”