El Cerrito residents are already facing a high tax burden. When purchasing our home, we were impacted by the Real Property Transfer Tax (RPTT) on top of existing taxes. Now, on the heels reducing library hours the City is now asking us to take on even more financial responsibility on top of an existing base:
Measure X: Supporting Contra Costa County’s Essential Services Approved by Contra Costa County voters on November 3, 2020, Measure X is a 20-year countywide initiative funded by a ½ cent sales tax that began collection on April 1, 2021. This measure aims to ensure the operation and staffing of the regional hospital, fund community health centers, enhance emergency response capabilities, and support crucial safety-net services. Additional objectives include investing in early childhood services, protecting vulnerable populations, and maintaining other essential county services.
Measure R: Sustaining El Cerrito’s Community Services El Cerrito residents voted in November 2014 to extend Measure R, a one percent sales tax, for twelve years until March 31, 2027. Initially passed in 2010, this tax enables the city to preserve the quality of life by maintaining essential services aligned with community priorities. These include rapid 9-1-1 responses, neighborhood police patrols, crime prevention efforts, fire protection services, and the upkeep of city parks and recreational facilities. The City Council engages in an annual budget process to allocate these funds effectively, emphasizing community involvement and fiscal accountability through independent audits, public reports and an annual review by FAB.
Measure V: El Cerrito’s Real Property Transfer Tax Enacted in November 2018 via Ordinance No. 2018-03, Measure V introduced a Real Property Transfer Tax in El Cerrito, setting a tax rate of $12 per $1,000 of property value. This ordinance is integral to the city’s fiscal strategy, with the transfer tax being a critical component of the property transaction process.
Controversial Tax Proposals and Fiscal Accountability El Cerrito is currently promoting a perpetual $300 tax aimed at funding a new library.
However, skepticism surrounds this proposal due to unfulfilled promises from past tax measures. There are concerns that once the library is funded, leftover funds may be diverted to the general fund, potentially setting the stage for future tax initiatives aimed at covering ongoing budget deficits.
This situation underscores the need for transparent and accountable fiscal management to maintain public trust and ensure the effective use of taxpayer money before we will approve another tax measure.
The current proposal to fund the new library at the Stockton site involves implementing a $300 per resident tax indefinitely. While this method guarantees continuous revenue, it places a sustained financial burden on the residents, potentially making it an unpopular and burdensome approach. A more favorable and equitable funding mechanism could be the issuance of a construction bond.
Advantages of a Construction Bond
A construction bond offers several advantages over a perpetual tax:
Finite and Predictable: Unlike a tax that persists indefinitely, a bond is a one-time issuance with a clear payoff schedule, making it a finite and predictable financial obligation.
Shared Burden: The cost of the bond is distributed across property owners through their property taxes, which may be more palatable than a direct per resident tax. This spreads the financial impact over a broader tax base.
Does Not Affect City Budget: The repayment of the bond is secured by property tax revenues, ensuring that the city’s budget remains unaffected. This financial structure is similar to how municipalities typically fund schools and public facilities, which has proven effective and sustainable.
Lower Overall Cost Impact: By financing through a bond, the total cost impact to individual taxpayers is often lower than the cumulative effect of a perpetual tax, especially over an extended period.
Enhances Creditworthiness: Issuing a bond can potentially enhance the city’s creditworthiness by demonstrating a structured and traditional approach to funding significant public projects.
Implementation Strategy
Implementing a construction bond would involve a few key steps:
Feasibility Study: Conduct a thorough feasibility study to determine the total cost of the library project and the bond amount required.
Public Consultation: Engage with the community through meetings and surveys to explain the benefits of the bond and gather public input, ensuring transparency and community involvement in the funding decision.
Bond Structuring: Structure the bond to ensure that it meets the project’s financial needs while also aligning with the city’s long-term financial strategy.
Approval Process: Obtain necessary approvals through city council votes and possibly a public referendum, providing a democratic approach to the decision-making process.
Conclusion
Replacing the proposed $300 per resident forever tax with a construction bond offers a financially sound and community-friendly approach to funding the new library. This method aligns with proven funding strategies for public projects, ensuring that the library can be built without imposing a perpetual financial burden on the residents. This approach not only fosters community support but also ensures fiscal responsibility, paving the way for the successful realization of the library project that serves the best interest of all stakeholders involved.
A concerned citizen made additional remarks to the editorial . Summarized
This blog offers a solid overview but could use some clarification. The funding for the library project will come exclusively from property taxpayers, through either a supplemental property tax or a construction bond, not from sales taxes. Property taxes will reflect these assessments. Additionally, property taxpayers contribute 1.5% of 1% of their property tax bills to support CCC Library operations. All library expenses are covered by property taxes and managed by the County, which employs 280 full-time equivalents (FTE) across various library functions such as IT, programs, and circulation.
The City has proposed an additional tax assessment to generate $2.4 million in tax receipts, which will service a debt of just over $21 million for building the library at the TOD BART location—this equates to approximately $1,000 per square foot. Part of this debt service will also help a housing developer finance the construction of a seven-story development. The library’s rent is included in the city’s ongoing payments for leasing and developing both the library and the housing project’s infrastructure.
A key point is determining the best approach to replace the old and historic library building. Since the city owns the current library site, there are no land acquisition costs if it is rebuilt there. The site’s optimal use would be as a library. A new 12,000 square foot library could be constructed at a cost of $12 million, doubling the current size and costing significantly less than the proposed 20,000 square foot library. This could be achieved much sooner than the library in the TOD development.
The city has been indecisive about this project for at least eight years, and the latest proposal could delay the completion by an additional three years, casting doubt on the project’s timely completion.
Here’s how you can help:
Attend the Financial Advisory Board meeting at City Hall on April 23rd.
Ask the City Council to require a feasibility study on a construction bond.
Share your voice with the Council Members, the Mayor, and the City Manager.
Next Tuesday’s city council meeting has been canceled with no explanation provided.
Last week’s budget workshop was not recorded on video, and during this session, the community raised several probing questions about the city’s finances. The City Manager had to revise earlier statements about salary freezes, clarifying that these were temporary measures affecting mainly non-represented staff. This clarification is important as nearly all staff are union-represented, meaning the impact of these freezes was less substantial than initially implied by the City Manager.
Furthermore, despite City Manager claims of collaboration with the Financial Advisory Board, significant topics such as Library forecasts, costs associated with promoting the library tax measure, the renewal of Measure R, the growing pension unfunded liabilities, and the expenses related to implementing the classification and compensation study have not appeared on the agenda which means these topics have not been presented in FAB meetings.
The debate over the relocation of El Cerrito’s library involves significant community concern regarding the proposed move from Stockton Avenue to the Plaza BART Transit Oriented Development. The city has presented a single option: a $54 million library project funded by a “forever tax” of $300 per homeowner. An editorial highlight that the city’s focus on the Plaza site, which would involve leasing rather than owning the property, lacks transparency and fails to consider community preferences. The current Stockton Avenue location offers great accessibility and is well-integrated with the community, contrasting with the proposed site’s potential for increased congestion and higher operating costs. The editorial calls for more open dialogue on potential sites, empowering residents to have a meaningful say in the library’s future.
Concerned citizens have questioned the financial rationale behind spending $200,000 to promote the tax measure when more cost-effective options might exist.
Another citizen invited fellow El Cerrito residents to the budget workshop which seemed to draw a crowd at the budget workshop. Despite the City Manager asserting that all the state auditor’s recommendations have been implemented, she struggled to substantiate this claim.
Several issues discussed during the workshop were not satisfactorily addressed by the city:
El Cerrito’s Fiscal Challenges: Managing Pension Costs and Navigating a Narrow Budget Surplus
The state auditor said that the city has recently taken measures to manage its pension costs by allocating $1 million to initiate a Section 115 trust in August 2023, and subsequently approving the creation of the trust in September. However, it has yet to establish an ongoing funding strategy for this trust, which is crucial for maximizing its long-term benefits. Furthermore, the trust is set at just $1 million which is about 1.1% of the unfunded pension liability of $85 million leaving $84 million unfounded.
El Cerrito’s fiscal situation remains precarious with the FY 2023-24 budget showing only a slight surplus of $93,000. This is partly due to reliance on robust real estate transfer taxes, which may not be sustainable as the real estate market shows signs of slowing, although tax consultants predict steady real property tax revenues. The city anticipates it will need to vigilantly monitor and potentially adjust its budget to prevent expenditures from surpassing revenues.
Moreover, upcoming labor agreements pose additional financial challenges. The city has agreements ending soon with various employee groups, and previous agreements have included significant salary raises. Similar future increases could push expenditures beyond current revenue levels, exacerbating fiscal strains.
Without a More Coordinated Effort, El Cerrito’s Financial Condition Will Continue to Deteriorate: Insufficient Reductions in Ongoing Costs
The state auditor elaborated further: El Cerrito has shown improvement in its financial condition but continues to face challenges with the growth of salary and benefit costs, which constitute a major portion of its expenditures. To address these concerns and recommendations for cost reduction, the city issued a request for proposals for a comprehensive classification and compensation study. This study, which was expected to be completed in December 2023 after a delay, is intended to help the city adjust salaries appropriately and use the insights gained to sustain financial stability. It will provide a detailed review of El Cerrito’s organizational structure, compensation practices, and staffing needs, enabling the city to make strategic decisions about the number and type of positions it can support, as well as the scope of services it can realistically offer.
It’s crucial to point out that El Cerrito proceeded with and completed a classification and compensation study in 2024 without first evaluating its staffing levels. Consequently, the city is unsure if it has the right number of staff to efficiently provide services. Specifically, El Cerrito may have an excessive number of certain positions, such as Battalion Chiefs, where it is unusual for a city of its size—comparable more to a town—to have four Battalion Chiefs.
These hot topics including the public outcry regarding the Israel- Hamas ceasefire is looming.
The Budget Workshop was not available remotely or recorded on video. Additionally, there are no plans to make Financial Advisory Board meetings available remotely or to record them, suggesting that the City Manager and Council are likely opposed to hosting follow-up sessions on a video-recorded platform increasing concerns about transparency.
Here’s how you can help:
Attend the Financial Advisory Board meeting at City Hall on April 23rd.
Ask the City Council to require that the meeting be available remotely to the public and videotaped.
Share your voice with the Council Members, the Mayor, and the City Manager.
In a surprising revelation through a public information request, it’s disclosed that El Cerrito has spent a whopping $170,357.29 on a library campaign, with additional costs for staff time likely pushing total expenditures over $200,000 since January 1, 2023. Despite these hefty investments, the city failed to secure state grants and explore other opportunities beyond the Plaza TOD project.
Key expenditures include $46,428.91 on public information and $60,725.00 on library surveys, with no tangible success. Staff inefficiencies and management’s reluctance to share survey results add to the concerns. With the city poised to invest more, taxpayers are left wondering about the real cost of the failed library effort and the transparency of its funding.
So, the questions arise: Why is the city pushing hard, offering residents just one choices $300 forever tax? And spending money it clearly cannot afford, to get this initiative on the ballot? The financial choices and priorities of El Cerrito’s management are under scrutiny, as the community seeks answers to the rationale behind these costly endeavors.
On Tuesday, April 2, 2024, El Cerrito marked Library Week with a notable presentation by Heidi Goldstein, a local librarian. The event highlighted the somewhat underappreciated El Cerrito Library, which, despite its outstanding staff and resources, sees limited foot traffic except during school dismissal times. This underutilization calls for increased public engagement and appreciation of the library’s offerings.
The Threefold Crossroad: El Cerrito’s Library Future
The future of El Cerrito’s library infrastructure is at a crossroads, with three distinct paths laid out before the community:
The Opulent Proposal: A lavish new library within a complex Plaza housing project, costing average El Cerrito homeowners $300 indefinitely. This plan ties the library’s fate to the unpredictable and complex dynamics of Transit Oriented Development.
The Pragmatic Alternative: Opting for a more suitable and accessible location outside the Plaza project’s uncertainties, possibly through construction or leasing, presents a less risky and more controlled avenue for development.
The Conservative Approach: Given El Cerrito’s financial challenges and prioritization needs, some advocate for postponing any new library construction. The existing library, though underutilized, serves the community adequately without the hefty price tag of $54 million projected for a new, larger facility.
The Underlying Concerns and Considerations
The debate extends beyond financial implications, touching on issues like the appropriateness of the location, parking concerns, and the city’s role in broader projects. Despite previous plans and discussions, including a 2016 memorandum of understanding, where tangible progress remains elusive, clouded by shifting timelines and unresolved logistical questions.
The lack of transparency, particularly regarding the withholding of 2023 library survey reports, exacerbates community distrust and skepticism. Moreover, the alleged $10 million savings from the project remain speculative, lacking analysis or concrete evidence
A Call for Reevaluation and Transparency
The dialogue surrounding El Cerrito’s library future is emblematic of a broader struggle between top-down bureaucratic ambitions and community-centric decision-making. As discussions evolve, the need for a location that is not only accessible but also owned by the city gains traction, promising greater control and certainty for El Cerrito’s residents.
Reflecting on the past, one can’t help but ponder missed opportunities for securing state grants or capitalizing on favorable interest rates, which could have steered the library project in a more sustainable direction. The fixation on the grand Plaza proposal raises questions about the alignment of city government priorities with the community’s actual needs and accessibility concerns.
As El Cerrito navigates these complex waters, the essence of public service and community welfare must guide the way forward, ensuring that the city’s library system remains a cherished and accessible resource for all its residents.
The journey into local government is often paved with good intentions. At the heart of many decisions to run for local office is a simple, powerful desire to help. This motivation, pure and commendable in its essence, is the driving force behind countless campaigns and initiatives. Yet, the landscape of local governance is rife with complexities that challenge even the most well-intentioned individuals. Among these complexities is a nuanced issue: the pursuit of personal healing through public service, a path that, while seemingly noble, may inadvertently sideline the broader interests of the public.
The Primacy of the Desire to Help
It’s crucial to acknowledge that the majority of individuals who venture into local politics do so with the aim of making a positive impact on their community. Their motivations stem from a place of wanting to contribute, to make things better, and to serve the public good. This foundational desire is what keeps the machinery of local government alive and responsive to the needs of its constituents.
The Pitfall of Seeking Personal Healing in Public Service
However, when personal motivations skew towards seeking healing or resolution of one’s own experiences through public service, the focus can shift away from the collective needs to personal redemption narratives. This isn’t to say that personal experiences and challenges don’t have a place in shaping one’s motivations and perspectives. Indeed, they can add valuable depth and empathy to one’s approach to governance. The issue arises when the pursuit of personal healing takes precedence, leaving little room for the diverse, and sometimes conflicting, needs of the community.
Public service demands a delicate balance between personal conviction and public duty. When individuals enter the arena of local government primarily to address or heal from their own experiences, the risk is that governance becomes more about the individual than about the collective. The primary aim of serving the public interest can become obscured by personal agendas or the unconscious drive to seek validation and resolution through the roles and responsibilities of public office.
Realigning Motivations with Public Needs
This doesn’t mean that individuals who have faced challenges or are seeking personal growth should be discouraged from entering local politics. On the contrary, their experiences can enrich their contributions and understanding of societal issues. However, it’s crucial for prospective public servants to reflect on their motivations and to ensure that their desire to help is not overshadowed by a quest for personal healing. Public service, at its core, should be about the community, the collective, and the greater good.
The path to effective governance involves recognizing the distinction between personal and public interests. It requires individuals to embark on their own journey of healing independently of their roles in public service. This separation allows public servants to fully dedicate themselves to the needs of their communities, ensuring that their actions and decisions are guided by what’s best for the public, rather than personal catharsis.
In summary, while the desire to help is a commendable and common reason for entering local government, it’s crucial for individuals to navigate their personal motivations carefully. By ensuring that the drive to serve is not conflated with a quest for personal healing, public servants can better prioritize and address the multifaceted needs of their communities, thereby fulfilling the true purpose of public service.
In the vibrant community of El Cerrito, each resident holds the potential to shape the city’s future and contribute to its growth, prosperity, and community needs. Engaging in civic activities enhances your understanding of local governance and empowers you to make meaningful changes. Upon my arrival in El Cerrito in the post-pandemic world, I was taken aback by the significant number of residents disillusioned with the local government, feeling helpless in their desire for change. This realization underscores the importance of civic participation; even small efforts by a dedicated group can profoundly transform our community.
Whether you’re attending city council meetings to stay informed, joining local political groups to find community, volunteering for causes you believe in, applying to serve on influential boards, communicating directly with elected officials, or even considering a run for office yourself, there are numerous pathways to involvement. This guide outlines six impactful ways to participate in El Cerrito’s civic life, ensuring your voice is heard and your actions contribute to making El Cerrito a much better place to live. Here’s how you can make a difference:
Attend City Council Meetings: Attending these meetings is a great way to stay informed about what’s happening in your community, learn about upcoming decisions, and express your opinions.
Join a Local Political Party or Group: Whether you identify with a major political party or a specific issue-based group, joining such an organization can connect you with like-minded individuals and provide avenues for political activism.
Volunteer for Campaigns and Civic Initiatives: Local candidates and causes often need volunteers to help with various tasks, from canvassing and phone banking to organizing events. Volunteering is a direct way to support the political outcomes you care about.
Apply for Boards, Commissions, or Committees: Like other local governments have boards, commissions, and committees that rely on citizen volunteers El Cerrito has many openings on Board and Advisory groups. These positions can influence local policy and decisions on issues ranging from planning and development to arts and education.
Write to the City: Communicating with your elected officials via letters, emails, or social media is a way to express your views on local issues. Representatives need to hear from their constituents to serve effectively. The City Council can be reached through the City Clerk Holly Charléty at cityclerk@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us. Request your letter to be included in the City Council meeting packet. If you want to contact City Council Members or the City Managers, all their emails are below:
Run for Office: Launch a Political Campaign. Should you have a strong desire to effect change and possess a clear vision for the future of the City, running for a local governmental position could be a significant step. The city council currently comprises five members. Among these, the terms of three members are due to conclude by the year’s end. The remaining two members are pursuing positions within the Democratic Central Committee..
And there’s always reposting information on social media that you find valuable.
I am concerned about our City Council’s determination to move our city’s library from the current location on Stockton Avenue to the planned Plaza BART development. Hoping to start a community discussion of the issue, I wrote an opinion article which was printed in the March newsletter of the El Cerrito Democratic Club (ECDC). This is my personal perspective and does not reflect the position of ECDC.
Best Site for El Cerrito Library?
It’s time to get more people talking about choices for a new El Cerrito library. What about building our new library on the current site at 6510 Stockton Avenue? And there could be other sites.
For years, city officials have been saying that the Plaza BART Transit Oriented Development is the only possible site where a new El Cerrito Library can be built. This is not true, but it has been the basis for a library planning process that focuses less on the library and more on the Transit Oriented Development. Instead of giving residents a role in important decisions about the library, like the location, the city has proceeded as if El Cerrito residents have already chosen this site. At the few public meetings held about the library so far, residents have been invited to list features they would like to see inside this pre-selected library location.
This has not been an engaging, transparent, or thorough approach. The city will ultimately need voter approval to fund any new library. Is it wise or fair to frame the issue as the Plaza BART library or no new library at all?
I would like to see a new library that is safe, energy-efficient, technologically up to date and provides welcoming spaces for programs, tutoring and community meetings. I would like it to be a community library that focuses first on residents’ needs for books and information of all kinds. I don’t think that Plaza BART is the best location.
Let’s compare two options that do exist.
Location and Access
The Stockton Avenue site is easy to access, as shown by the high number of books being checked out from this library despite its small size. It is next door to Fairmont Elementary School, creating the opportunity for students and their families to walk over. It’s next to the Ohlone Greenway, making it accessible for bicyclists, walkers and BART riders willing to take a short walk. It’s in a central location that is safe and not very crowded except in the hour when school is dismissed. No new development projects are planned nearby. Street parking is available and usually easy to find. While the site has no dedicated library parking spaces, there is a parking lot behind the building where library patrons sometimes park and Friends of the Library book sales are held. The lot is owned by the school district, so its use is subject to negotiation.
The proposed Plaza BART library would occupy the ground floor of a multi-story apartment building at Fairmount Avenue and Liberty Street. The draft master plan displayed in January shows that the Plaza BART area is going to become very congested. Developers plan to remove 750 BART rider parking spaces and build 743 apartments in six buildings. The plan calls for replacing only 150 BART rider parking spaces and providing 266 resident parking spaces in parking garages. Here also, there are no dedicated parking spaces for the library. There would be time-limited street parking on Liberty Street. The city’s master plan for the area proposes narrowing Fairmount Avenue to support a goal of making the library a “destination” and a community gathering place. This site would offer easy access to people who live on the Plaza BART site or nearby and people who want to ride BART to the library. However, it would be very hard to access for El Cerrito residents and other library users who drive to the library.
Library Ownership and Management
The current library site is owned by the city.
The Plaza BART library would be in a leased space. The city would never own the land or building.
Under either option, the El Cerrito library would continue to be managed by Contra Costa County.
Size
The existing library is 6,500 square feet. The Stockton Avenue site is appropriate for a two-story stand-alone building with an area of about 12,000 square feet. This would roughly double our current library size.
The proposed Plaza BART library would have an area of 20,000 square feet. This would more than triple our library’s size.
Current Operating Cost vs. Proposed New Funding to Enhance a Bigger Library?
Currently, Contra Costa County covers the El Cerrito library’s operating budget of about $643,000/year, and makes decisions about staff, programs and materials. The city pays $46,000/year for extra staff hours.
The parcel tax drafted by the city in fall 2023 proposed a $22 million tax that would generate $2.5 million per year in revenue forever. Of this amount, $1.6 million is listed for construction and $900,000/year is for “library hours/program enhancement.”
Why would city taxpayers spend $900,000/year for library staff hours and programs? This is 20 times the $46,000/year the city spends now for expanded library hours, and the county provides a turnkey operation that includes all materials and programs. Would the city be handing over extra money to the county, which would then make the decisions about this spending? Also, who would make decisions about allocating space in a new, much-larger library?
Fair Comparison?
The city states that building a Plaza BART library would “save $10 million,” although no cost estimates were ever obtained for any other site.
My Google search indicates that construction of a free-standing library would probably cost $1,000/square foot. If that is accurate, a 12,000 square foot library would cost $12 million.
If the city paid $22 million for a 20,000-square-foot space, the cost would also be roughly $1,000/square foot.
The city should provide a proposed budget and revenue assumptions for the current Stockton Avenue site as compared to the Plaza BART site.
What is the best choice? Let’s give the community full information about both options and let El Cerrito voters decide.
El Cerrito’s Unresolved Crisis: “Four Years of Financial Mismanagement and Missed Opportunities” sheds additional light on the city’s persistent inability to navigate its financial quagmire, highlighting a series of missteps and inaction by city leadership.
Despite several years of clear indicators of fiscal distress and specific recommendations by the independent auditor for reform, the City of El Cerrito, under its current management, has struggled to implement effective solutions. This in-depth examination reveals the complexities of the city’s financial woes and the critical need for a course correction.
The City Manager asserts that the challenges highlighted by the State Auditor have been fully addressed. The council says they are monitoring closely. Yet, aside from federal assistance, little effective action has been taken by the City. Over time, these problems have become more severe rather than being resolved. The City Manager inherited an AA- bond rating, however having been Assistant City Manager for many years, she has demonstrated that she is not equipped to lead the City. This chronology outlines the unfolding events and the city’s deteriorating financial situation under the City Manager’s tenure:
2019 Developments:
The State Auditor issued a going concern statement for El Cerrito for the second consecutive year, signaling financial instability. Despite the City Finance Director’s and City Manager’s optimism for improvement, the issues persisted.
Unlike neighboring cities, El Cerrito maintained a relatively large administrative structure, including a City Manager, an Assistant City Manager, and a City Clerk – positions not found in comparably sized or larger cities like Richmond, Albany, and San Pablo.
El Cerrito was ranked both six and seventh on the State Auditor’s list of California cities most at risk of bankruptcy, leading to a unanimous decision by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee for a comprehensive audit.
2020 Challenges:
The State Auditor identified El Cerrito as the most financially at-risk city in the Bay Area and faced a significant downgrade in bond rating, impacting its borrowing capacity.
Repeated warnings from state auditors about the city’s financial viability went unheeded, with significant increases in personnel costs, including pension.
The General Fund balance plummeted, tax rates soared, and the city increasingly relied on an ongoing reliance on short-term borrowing – municipal payday loans, highlighting a pattern of fiscal mismanagement.
2021 Escalations:
Attempts to engage the public and necessary budget cuts were delayed, and the city faced a downgrade in its risk ranking and bond rating eventually dropping to BBB-, one step above junk bond status.
Financial decisions, including settling legal claims where the City paid $544,000 to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit.
Four separate tax increases led to high tax rates, with little improvement in service levels or fiscal health.
2022 Partial Improvements:
A slight improvement in the city’s management ranking ended reliance on short-term borrowing. This short-lived improvement, sparked by a federal bailout, was overshadowed by continued financial challenges, including rising pension liabilities of $70 million, not rightsizing expenditures, and a lack of action on suggested performance standards for the City Manager.
2023 Continued Concerns:
Despite a minor upgrade in bond rating, the city continued to struggle with financial reporting practices, excessive spending, and growing pension liabilities.
A controversial comment by the City Manager where she told a direct report to STFU.
Issues around transparency and governance underscored ongoing leadership and accountability problems.
2024 Outlook:
On March 16, the city made a request to the state auditor requesting that the city no longer be classified as high-risk. Yet, the City remains in a perilous financial position, with continued issues around pension liabilities, budget management, and a lack of significant progress in addressing long-standing challenges:
El Cerrito remains the 13th highest-risk city for bankruptcy in California.
Unfunded Pension Liability is $85 million and climbing, yet the city has allocated just $1 million or 1.1 % of the principal. Moreover, the $1 million will be invested and not planned for repayment of the debt in the foreseeable future.
Expenses continue to outpace revenue resulting in $4 million in cost overruns.
Unrestricted general fund balance of just $1.8 million, falling from over $16 million
Missed Opportunities to increase revenue.
Classification and Compensation Study Conducted without recommended staffing and organizational study.
El Cerrito has BBB bond rating.
El Cerrito does not have a senior center or a fully functional library.
The City Council insists they are closely monitoring El Cerrito’s finances. Yet, this timeline and current crisis reveal a pattern of inadequate response and management and the same practices that previously forced reliance on “municipal payday loans”, underscoring the need for more effective leadership and strategies to truly address and rectify the city’s financial and administrative issues.
Legislators and taxpayers are less inclined to endorse public funding if they perceive El Cerrito as unreliable stewards of their finances.
A Call to Action
The detailed account of El Cerrito’s financial and administrative challenges underscores the urgent need for comprehensive reform. The city requires a concerted effort to realign its budgetary priorities, streamline its administrative structure, and engage meaningfully with its residents.
El Cerrito residents have waited far too long. The City Council must embrace transparency, accountability, and strategic planning to navigate El Cerrito toward a more stable and prosperous future. City officials must take immediate and decisive action to rectify the current course, leveraging community input and expertise to implement sustainable solutions. The time for half-measures and deferred decisions has passed.
El Cerrito has pushed for a $300 forever tax when a limited-term bond measure should suffice. A limited-term construction bond could be used to finance a library.
Don’t be fooled by a forever tax designed to cover over expenditures. Instead, El Cerrito must commit to a path of genuine reform and renewal.
Adjacent to Albany, where employees adhere to a standard 40-hour work week, El Cerrito’s staff operates under a 37.5-hour work schedule.
This lower threshold of 37.5 hours not only leads to a 6% manpower shortfall for the city but also appears to encourage a cycle of justifications for not appropriately engaging stakeholders in relevant discussions and not meeting deadlines. This abbreviated work week is also a factor in requiring various consultants to perform staff work at a significant cost to taxpayers in addition to staff salaries. Most recently $30,000 was paid it consultants including over $12,000 to facilitate a four-hour budget meeting.
El Cerrito starts accruing overtime payments at just 37.51 hours, in contrast to other municipalities that set the threshold at 40 hours. This practice leads to significant increased overtime expenses for El Cerrito.
The Albany contract says “The Regular workweek for bargaining unit employees shall consist of forty (40) hours within a seven (7) day workweek which begins Monday morning at 12:00 a.m. and ends the following Sunday night at 11:59 p.m. Overtime is to be paid after forty (40) hours worked in one (1) work week. For purposes of determining overtime eligibility, “hours worked” includes any time in paid status.”
El Cerrito’s contract says “The normal workweek for represented employees is 37.5 hours. The workweek begins at 0001 hours (12:01 a.m.) on Sunday and ends at 2400 hours (12 p.m.) on Saturday unless declared otherwise. The normal workday for represented employees is 7.5 hours per day. Those on alternative work schedules may work different scheduled hours as determined per City operation”
Comparison to Larger Cities
El Cerrito has about 25,000 people. The classification and compensation study compared El Cerrito compensation to a number of cities with populations 4x’s this size – over 100,000. That the helps to make it look like El Cerrito’s managers are underpaid.
We recognize the challenges that come with conducting such a study in a smaller city like El Cerrito, which operates both fire and police departments. Nevertheless, comparing the executive and administrative salaries of El Cerrito with those of much larger cities can create a misleading impression of El Cerrito’s staff being undercompensated. The state auditor conducted a more appropriate comparison and concluded that the staff in El Cerrito often receives higher pay than their counterparts in similarly sized cities. An El Cerrito resident analyzed the most recent data available on Transparent California, categorizing the information according to cities with small, medium, and large populations.
Total compensation by group are as follows:
Small: $320,464
Medium: $346,363
Large: $378,675
El Cerrito: $325,876
El Cerrito offers compensation that is slightly above the average for a small city, yet it falls below the average when the analysis extends to include much larger cities. Additionally, when the comparison is restricted to small cities, El Cerrito’s population size is still below average. The resident of El Cerrito proposes that the consultants should have conducted a regression analysis to account for city size.
Size City Population
Small Pinole 18,946
Small Albany 20,027
Small El Cerrito 25,869
Small San Pablo 31,907
Small Pleasant Hill 34,504
Small Martinez 37,093
Medium Walnut Creek 69,809
Medium Pittsburg 76,419
Medium Alameda 77,565
Medium Pleasanton 78,691
Medium Livermore 87,154
Large Antioch 115,016
Large Richmond 115,619
Large Concord 125,007
Large Hayward 160,602
While El Cerrito takes pride in finalizing the study, public citizens have pointed out numerous shortcomings in how the assessment was conducted. Considering the city intends to utilize the assessment’s findings to justify salary increases for administrative staff on a 37.5-hour workweek, it might be prudent for the council to verify with the consultant that the methodology employed included a regression analysis to factor in city size and took into account the reduced workweek.
Any increases in salary for management and administrative personnel should be contingent upon a compulsory 40-hour work week and performance standards.
Editor’s Note: The mayor has indicated that they paid their own airfare (coach) and the trip was not expenced to El Cerrito.
A long time El Cerrito resident recently shared their thoughts on a blog post titled “Insider Gets Special Treatment,” highlighting how the city council’s engagement in foreign policy seems to be swayed by political imagery rather than principled stances. Read on…..
While I understand the perspective on city council not getting involved in foreign policy, this city council consistently does so when it benefits their political image. Here are just a few examples:
Ukraine: On February 21, 2023, they allowed Igor Tregub to give a presentation about the horrible things happening in Ukraine, then declared February 24 to be Ukraine Solidarity Day, and flew the Ukrainian flag. They also passed a resolution condemning the actions of Russia.
Tibet: On March 7, 2023 (and nearly every year prior), they issued a proclamation recognizing the Tibetan Uprising against the brutal Chinese regime, and also hung the flag in City Hall.
Furthermore, Quinto’s critique that the “city council should stay In its lane” (Dec. 19, 2023), contrasts with his acceptance of a fully sponsored trip to Israel, financed by groups linked to AIPAC, during his tenure on the city council in 2019. Tessa undertook a similar journey in 2023. Both individuals have shared insights from their travels at standard city council gatherings. Although the business class flights to Israel may have been luxurious, it remains unclear how these experiences could have directly contributed to the welfare of El Cerrito.
So unfortunately the perspective that the city council shouldn’t get involved in foreign policy is just gaslighting by folks who prefer that city council only get involved in *certain* foreign policy affairs.
In yesterday’s episode of Missed Opportunities, we told you that the financial imbalance warranted a dedicated article.
Over the last four years, the state has expressed ongoing concerns about El Cerrito’s approach to managing its finances, particularly its lack of a specific strategy for reducing expenditures. Despite recognizing the necessity for substantial spending cuts in its five-year financial outlook, starting with the 2021–22 budget, El Cerrito did not detail a plan for achieving these reductions. In addressing recommendations for cost-cutting, the city has indicated that a study on salary and compensation is unlikely to be undertaken until the 2022–23 fiscal year. The audit report highlighted that any attempts to adjust salary costs would necessitate negotiations with employee unions. In March 2021, El Cerrito reached out to its labor unions to discuss the city’s financial situation, but meaningful discussions on salary adjustments require data from a thorough compensation study.
El Cerrito has also been advised to explore the possibility of outsourcing certain municipal services. Although initially resistant, the city has now included in its corrective action plan the intention to consider this option, engaging both the city council and the community. However, progress on this front has yet to be reported.
The city has also acknowledged limitations in conducting a compensation study, citing cost concerns. Yet, it has not addressed other recommended preparatory actions, such as evaluating its organizational structure and assessing the roles and responsibilities of its current staff. Such analyses are crucial steps before proceeding with a compensation study, which could ultimately lead to significant long-term savings through recommended changes, including potentially reducing employee benefit costs. Instead of following the State’s advice, the City moved forward with the compensation study, missing out on tremendous cost savings opportunities.
Another point of contention is the management of salary increases for certain management roles. The audit revealed that El Cerrito had approved salary increases beyond established limits, and while the city suspended this practice in 2020, it has deferred a permanent decision on this matter until after the compensation study is completed. This decision is puzzling given the audit’s findings of management salaries exceeding those in similar roles in neighboring cities.
Additionally, El Cerrito’s corrective action plan mentions the elimination of cost-of-living adjustments, but this does not fully capture the financial implications of its negotiations.
Despite forgoing these adjustments for the 2020–21 fiscal year, agreements were made for subsequent salary increases, which are expected to raise costs by at least $1.7 million in the 2021–22 fiscal year. This increase adds further strain on the city’s budget, necessitating the identification of additional cost-saving measures. El Cerrito has proposed a salary freeze for management not covered by unions for the 2021–22 fiscal year, but it’s uncertain how sustainable this approach will be in the long term.
As the city embarks on crafting the budget for fiscal year 2024-25, it is hoped that the City Manager will prioritize meaningful financial planning and structural changes to align expenses with revenue alongside maintaining a positive public image.
The next Article chronicled the cumulative effect of 4+ years of financial mismanagement. Stay tuned.
The budget discussion led by City Staff on March 5, 2024, was presented with precision and assurance. The speaker, endowed with impressive vocal quality and presentation skills navigated the topic. However, the presentation was somewhat perplexing and deliberately evaded several significant financial and related topics. This meeting presented a crucial chance for the Council to engage in detailed inquiry and constructive feedback.
Regrettably, the session evolved into an exchange of praises, and more praises, sidestepping issues that required attention. Key topics that were not adequately addressed include El Cerrito’s reduced workweek, the lack of established performance standards, concerning levels of unpaid pension liabilities, and a looming financial imbalance that threatens the city’s fiscal health.
El Cerrito’s Short Work Week: A Missed Beat in Productivity
While many cities enforce a standard 40-hour workweek, especially for managerial positions, El Cerrito sets the bar at just 37.5 hours. This reduction not only puts the city at a 6% manpower disadvantage, it also appears to perpetuate a cycle of justifications for not meeting deadlines. Moreover, in the classification and compensation study conducted, there’s a conspicuous omission: it fails to address that El Cerrito employees do not adhere to the 40-hour workweek norm. This oversight further complicates the situation, as the 6% reduction in working hours effectively translates into a higher hourly wage. The math is straightforward – whereas El Cerrito employees are compensated as if they’re working a full 2,080 hours annually, they actually clock in only 1,950 hours. Thus, an individual earning $150,000 annually outside El Cerrito would have an hourly rate of $72.11, whereas their El Cerrito counterpart would be making $76.92 per hour, highlighting a significant disparity in pay for fewer hours worked.
The Void of Performance Standards
A recent classification and compensation study shed light on El Cerrito’s challenges in hiring and retaining skilled staff. However, what stands out is the lack of performance standards for management. It’s bewildering how the Council expects public acceptance of salary hikes for employees whose performance doesn’t match up. This lack of accountability and performance measurement is a glaring oversight that jeopardizes the city’s pursuit of recovery.
Amid a financial crunch, El Cerrito continues to delegate tasks that should fall within management’s purview to external consultants, exacerbating the issue of lacking performance standards. A striking instance of this trend was the decision to pay a consultant $12,500 to conduct the finance workshop in January. This task arguably should have been undertaken by the city’s well-compensated bureaucrats. Rather than assuming direct responsibility, these top officials appear to be globetrotting, attending events like the ICMA networking meeting, while offloading their duties onto costly consultants. This practice not only raises questions about the efficiency of spending during financial hardship but also about the accountability and role fulfillment of El Cerrito’s senior staff.
Unpaid Pension Costs: A Looming Financial Shadow
El Cerrito grapples with an unpaid pension liability of $85 million, yet it celebrates the initiation of a Section 115 trust with a mere $1 million contribution. This approach is flawed on several fronts. Firstly, the contribution fails to cover even the 6.8% interest charged by CalPERS on the outstanding amount. Secondly, the liability has outgrown the city’s entire annual operating budget, contradicting claims of a strong financial stance. Lastly, the nature of a Section 115 Trust as a long-term saving plan means the unpaid liability will continue to swell. It begs the question: how can the Council claim to monitor finances closely yet overlook such a critical issue?
Financial Imbalance: A Topic Too Vast for One Discussion
The financial imbalance where expenses continue to out pace revenue is El Cerrito is so significant that it warrants its own detailed analysis. It’s a harbinger of deeper issues that could further jeopardize the city’s fiscal health if not addressed with the seriousness and urgency they deserve.
In conclusion, the March 5, 2024, budget discussion was a missed chance for the Council to engage deeply with these pivotal issues. Rather than settling for surface-level accolades, it was an opportunity to ask hard questions and seek actionable solutions. As it stands, El Cerrito faces several unaddressed challenges that have long-term implications for its residents and fiscal sustainability. The community deserves transparency, accountability, and a commitment to addressing these pressing concerns head-on.
This moment demands a leadership that is transparent, accountable, and dedicated to rectifying past missteps to guide El Cerrito toward a more stable and prosperous future.
Here’s how you can help:
Share this post with other residents.
Attend the monthly Financial Advisory Board meetings in person.
Council meetings are both remote and in-person. The City Council meeting will be on tonight. The schedule is here.
Share your voice with the Council Members, the Mayor, and the City Manager.
On Tuesday, March 5, 2024, during a City Council meeting, a detailed presentation was given on the classification and compensation study aimed at evaluating the city’s salary structure in comparison with other public entities. Before this presentation was made to the public, the City Council, including the Mayor, was briefed in a closed session. This preparatory step enabled Mayor Tessa Rudnick to craft a congratulatory message for the occasion, highlighting the study’s recommendation by the state auditor. The council members collectively expressed their pride in completing this significant study. However, Councilmember Fadelli, while acknowledging the study’s value, expressed some questions regarding the implementation process.
As a result, the City missed many significant opportunities. When properly conducted, evaluating an organization’s structure and staffing levels brings a multitude of benefits, central to enhancing overall business performance and sustainability. Such an evaluation streamlines operations and reduces operational costs by eliminating redundant processes, and optimizing efficiency. It also provides the organization with the flexibility and scalability needed to adapt to market changes and adjust operations accordingly. This process plays a critical role in improving employee satisfaction and retention by clarifying roles and responsibilities and ensuring workloads are balanced, which in turn, contributes to a more harmonious workplace environment.
Furthermore, it ensures resources are allocated efficiently, highlighting areas that are underutilized or in need of additional support. The adaptability and innovation within an organization are bolstered through regular evaluations, encouraging a culture that embraces new technologies and business practices swiftly. This clarity in organizational structure and staffing enhances communication and the flow of information, leading to more informed decision-making and effective strategy implementation. Additionally, it aids in compliance and risk management by aligning with legal standards and mitigating financial inefficiencies. Lastly, it supports talent development and succession planning, identifying talent gaps and preparing employees for future leadership roles. Regular assessments of organizational structure and staffing are indispensable for fostering efficiency, adaptability, employee morale, and strategic alignment, positioning the organization for long-term success.
El Cerrito missed a critical opportunity to not only adjust the size, shape, and performance, and improve employee satisfaction, but also to utilize this as a strategic tool for ensuring financial sustainability. By analyzing its staffing requirements, the city could have gained insights into the cost implications of different job classifications. This would enable informed decision-making regarding the staffing levels and types of positions the city can sustainably support, along with the services it can feasibly provide.
El Cerrito overlooked a pivotal chance to refine its organizational structure, enhance workforce performance, boost employee morale, and leverage these changes as a strategic mechanism to secure financial stability. Through a thorough analysis of its staffing needs, the city had the potential to uncover valuable insights regarding the financial impact of various job classifications. Such insights would have facilitated informed decisions about the sustainable support of different staffing levels and job types and the types of services the city could realistically offer.
City leaders hold off on the victory celebrations for now. It is crucial to recall that El Cerrito is grappling with a structural imbalance, with expenses consistently surpassing revenue. Hiking salaries and pension costs without the comprehensive insights from that study could, in the worst-case scenario, lead the City to bankruptcy. At best, it would swiftly push the City towards resorting to municipal payday loans once again.
In El Cerrito, a significant question emerges: Why is the City Manager’s role, crucial for the city’s governance and administration, associated with a salary over $240,000 plus extensive benefits and perks?
Reports from the City Manager indicate that the city has addressed the State Auditor’s concerns, yet only some issues have been partially resolved. Many concerns were overlooked, leading to continued reliance on reserves for overspending, with the $1 million allocated for pension payments falling short of covering the interest on an $85 million balance.
Karen Pinkos’ ascent from Assistant to City Manager is a tale of being next in line. However, despite the City Council’s trust in her through a unanimous appointment, her contract lacks specific performance benchmarks, extending to the end of 2024, which highlights a gap in accountability for such a crucial position.
Effective management of the City Manager’s role should involve clear expectations, periodic reviews, goal setting, feedback, accountability, and performance-linked incentives. These steps are essential for aligning the City Manager’s efforts with El Cerrito’s strategic objectives and the community’s well-being.
The city’s approach, marked by complacency and mismanagement, points to an urgent need for governance reform, particularly before any consideration of tax increases. To move forward, El Cerrito must adopt strategies to improve accountability and governance efficiency.
Residents play a vital role in driving reform. Engaging with City Council members, sharing perspectives with peers, and expressing views at council meetings are critical for advocating performance standards in the City Manager’s subsequent contract renewal. Such community involvement is key to establishing a governance model focused on accountability and efficiency.
In conclusion, the choices made now will define its future. Implementing performance metrics for public officials is crucial not just for ensuring diligence, but for rebuilding trust in local government and fostering a future where El Cerrito prospers through the collective efforts of its leaders and citizens.
Here’s how you can help:
Share this post with other residents.
Attend the monthly Financial Advisory Board meetings in person.
Council meetings are both remote and in-person. The City Council meeting will be on tonight. The schedule is here.
Share your voice with the Council Members, the Mayor, and the City Manager.
At the Tuesday City Council meeting in El Cerrito, the community turnout was significant, with many attendees eager to share their thoughts on the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. The anticipation in the air shifted as the mayor announced a reduction in speaking time from three minutes to a brisk two. As speakers reached the new time limit, the City Clerk rigorously enforced the cutoff, sometimes even silencing the microphone. Amidst this, a chilling voice threatened speakers to vacate the podium promptly.
After more than fifteen individuals voiced their concerns, the council members remained silent, adhering to what seems to be a policy of not responding post-public commentary. This silence resonates on multiple levels, unsettlingly so. Attendees, having prepared remarks for the standard three-minute duration, found themselves constrained, a move that could fluster even the most skilled orators. Whereas it’s common for City Clerks to grant a brief grace period beyond allotted comment times, this City Clerk strictly enforced the two-minute cutoff without exception. Allowing for a gentle reminder to conclude remarks, given the reduction, would have been a far more humane approach.
Adding insult to injury, a notable deviation occurred when a presumed insider brought up the November ballot’s tax measure. Unlike the usual non-responsive stance, the council engaged with this speaker, breaking the two-minute rule. This selective interaction exposes a concerning inconsistency in the council’s engagement with the public, reinforcing perceptions of bias and favoritism.
This episode sheds light on why public trust in the council has deteriorated. The arbitrary enforcement of rules and selective engagement highlight a disconcerting disregard for community voices, underlining the need for transparency and consistency in public governance. The council’s actions, or lack thereof, serve as a stark reminder of the importance of equitable treatment and the fundamental role of public trust in democratic institutions.
Tuesday’s City Council meeting highlighted proposed midyear budget adjustments. A key point in the discussion is the staff’s suggestion to lower the expected property transfer tax revenue by $1 million due to a downturn. Notably, there’s no mention of a corresponding expense reduction. Instead, City Staff recommended general fund withdrawal of $1 million.
While the staff report mentions unforeseen expenses, these costs are relatively minor in the grand scheme of the city’s budget. Notably, expenses stemming from the August 2023 cyber attack on the city, which were not anticipated in the budget, have led to a $50,000 deductible and about $40,000 in unrecoverable costs, despite most being covered by the city’s insurance.
Additionally, the report details the city’s efforts to gear up for a ballot initiative in November 2024, aimed at renewing Measure R, the city’s transactions and use tax. To this end, the staff has requested $125,000 to finance polling and public awareness efforts concerning the importance of the tax renewal.
Furthermore, positions are filled, yet it’s projected that the Fire Department will exceed its budget by $287,000 in overtime costs by the year’s end.
A striking point is the repeated characterization of a strong financial position amidst a significant drop in the city’s general fund unrestricted reserve balance, from over $16 million to just $1.8 million. Despite the City Council and City Manager’s claims of vigilant financial oversight, the significant downturn highlights the city’s reliance on reserve funds to offset its excessive expenditures. Analogous to a household, this situation necessitates a thorough evaluation of the budget, prioritization of expenses, and making the appropriates sustainable cuts. Nevertheless, the city remains inactive in making necessary adjustments to correct its persistent fiscal imbalance. Instead, it persists in its excessive spending habits while the Council watches the ongoing reliance on reserve funds.
This moment demands a leadership that is transparent, accountable, and dedicated to rectifying past missteps to guide El Cerrito towards a more stable and prosperous future.
Here’s how you can help:
Share this post with other residents.
Attend the monthly Financial Advisory Board meetings in person.
Council meetings are both remote and in-person. The City Council meeting will be on tonight. The schedule is here.
Share your voice with the Council Members, the Mayor, and the City Manager.
During these challenging financial times, it has come to light that the city’s fiscal resources are being significantly stretched by the city manager’s frequent travels. On a roughly monthly basis, she attends networking conferences, with all related expenses—membership fees, conference charges, airfare, lodging, and dining—being covered by city taxpayers. This practice, while expensive, raises deeper concerns about the city manager’s availability to focus local issues. Despite the potential for gaining valuable insights at these conferences, there has been no indication that she has shared any learned strategies or implemented new initiatives based on her travels.
This situation highlights the urgent need for the city to realign its spending priorities, emphasizing the well-being of its residents over non-essential junkets at our expense.
Furthermore, the city manager’s habit of holding meetings with council members and staff at restaurants, at the city’s expense, despite having access to free meeting spaces at city hall, adds another layer of financial imprudence. This practice, compounded by a lack of transparency in expense reporting—specifically, the omission of attendees’ names from reimbursement documents—casts a shadow of potential misconduct and could be seen as a breach of public trust laws, namely the Brown Act.
We consulted with three city managers who shared that they personally cover their lunch expenses unless the meetings are extended over several hours. They emphasized that they typically pay for their own meals during staff meetings and one said they avoid scheduling meetings with direct reports during lunchtime to allow staff the opportunity for a midday break.
Additionally, the city’s decision to pay an external party $40,000 to facilitate just three budget meetings underscores a concerning gap in the management team’s expertise or availability. This expenditure raises questions about the city management’s capacity to efficiently utilize internal resources and lead effectively.
Please see the list of non essential travel and dining expenses:
Date Amount Person Business Comment
9/22/2023 $339.30 Orologas Hilton Hotel Austin, Tx — ICMA
10/23/2023 $1,357.20 Orologas Hilton Hotel Austin, Tx — ICMA
11/22/2023 $516.16 Orologas Everline Resort Spa Municipal Mgmt
9/22/2023 $40.50 Pinkos Mi Casa Grill Meeting with council member
9/22/2023 $37.58 Pinkos Noodles Fresh Meeting with Rec director
9/22/2023 $339.30 Pinkos Hilton Hotel Austin, Tx — ICMA
9/22/2023 $100.00 Pinkos Local Government Hispanic Network Austin, Tx
9/22/2023 $44.29 Pinkos Yoshio Sushi Meeting with council member
This moment demands a leadership that is transparent, accountable, and dedicated to rectifying past missteps to guide El Cerrito towards a more stable and prosperous future.
Here’s how you can help:
Share this post with other residents.
Attend the monthly Financial Advisory Board meetings in person.
Council meetings are both remote and in-person. The City Council meeting will be on tonight. The schedule is here.
Share your voice with the Council Members, the Mayor, and the City Manager.
As a recent transplant to El Cerrito in the wake of the pandemic, my partner and I often reflect on our decision to settle here. Drawn by its fantastic views of the Bay Area, convenient location near San Francisco and East Contra Costa County, along with access to two BART stations, we saw potential in this community. The warmth and friendliness of El Cerrito’s residents, coupled with the charm of local coffee shops, initially seemed to validate our choice.
However, one aspect that has repeatedly given me pause is the Real Property Transfer Tax. Despite its significant cost, the lack of clarity regarding how this revenue is used has been frustrating. While I’ve sought insights from various sources, including the Next Door app, I’ve found that accurate information is scarce but there are a few people who have some legitimate insights. While this did not lead to new information on the property tax, this has led to unsettling discoveries about the city’s practices, particularly the opacity with which it handles public information.
The advice to attend City Council Meetings was an eye-opener. My initial remote participation, dictated by travel obligations and curiosity about the council’s operations, revealed a lack of transparency. Documents spanning hundreds of pages left out key issues from the agenda, and the council’s non-engagement with public comments, both during and after meetings, was disheartening.
Opting to attend in person only intensified my observations. The dynamics within the council ranged from members who seemed to relish the attention to others who provided thoughtful insights, albeit infrequently. In a separate conversation, a particular interaction caught my attention: a council member’s evasive response to inquiries about implementing state auditor recommendations, concluding with a dismissive “We can’t be perfect.”
This experience has led me to a simple yet profound conclusion: El Cerrito must strive for better. The community doesn’t expect perfection but demands accountability and solutions to the challenges we face. Ignoring these issues only exacerbates them, creating obstacles that could have been avoided. It’s time for El Cerrito to embrace transparency, engage with its residents, and openly address and work toward solving its problems.
In January, the El Cerrito Citizens for Responsible Government (ECCRG) took a pivotal step by inquiring about the city’s handling of right-to-information requests made in 2023. They sought comprehensive details, including the outcomes of these requests and explanations for any denials. Although the city shared information about the requestors, topics, and dates, it notably omitted outcomes and reasons for rejections. This lack of transparency prompted ECCRG to press for these critical details once more.
Regrettably, the city’s subsequent response fell short of expectations, indicating an additional 30-day delay to furnish the requested information. This delay, extending the process to over six weeks, contrasts sharply with the initial indication of a 14-day period, followed by an extended review time. Such practices not only hinder transparency but also erode trust within the community.
Still, after the six week delay, the City Clerk did not disclose the disposition of the public information requests.
The City Clerk’s failure to disclose the disposition of public information requests exemplifies a broader, concerning pattern: a propensity to delay or deny requests, especially those potentially casting the city in an unfavorable light. This approach starkly contradicts the principles of accountability and transparency that are foundational to a healthy democratic process.
Access to public information is crucial for maintaining a connection between the community and its government. Required documents and agenda materials must be made accessible promptly. The practice of adding documents to meeting packets without including them in the agenda, or burying financial discussions under the consent agenda, raises questions about the city’s commitment to open dialogue.
Public records, encompassing a vast array of materials, should generally be open for inspection. While certain exceptions exist, the default stance must lean towards transparency. The process for requesting these records should be facilitated by clear guidelines, with government entities responsible for aiding in the clarification of vague requests.
Municipalities are expected to respond within 10 days regarding their capacity to fulfill records requests, with exceptions to disclosure narrowly defined to favor transparency. Yet, when access is denied, it not only opens the door to potential legal challenges but also signals a deeper issue of accessibility and transparency within the municipality.
The decision to pursue legal action for access to public records, possibly funded through initiatives like crowdfunding, reflects a community’s commitment to transparency but also highlights the challenges in accessing information that rightfully belongs to the public. While legal victories could compel the city to cover legal expenses, the broader question remains: Is engaging in legal battles the most effective way to ensure transparency and accountability?
This situation in El Cerrito serves as a critical reminder of the importance of vigilance in safeguarding our right to information. It underscores the need for community engagement and proactive measures to hold governing bodies accountable. As we consider the path forward, whether through legal action or alternative approaches, our collective resolve to demand transparency will be pivotal in shaping the transparency and accountability of our local government.
So, is it worth the battle? Should residents sue the City for information we are entitled to? Perhaps a GoFundMe? Thoughts?
El Cerrito Committee for Responsible Government (ECCRG) 