Rising costs, shrinking services, and weak fiscal oversight are signs of a city led by well-meaning advocates—not disciplined stewards. El Cerrito residents are paying more but getting less. Service delivery has declined, costs have risen, and the city has repeatedly drawn on its reserves to balance its budget. The result: a community with stretched publicContinue reading “El Cerrito’s Leadership Problem: Passion Without Performance”
Category Archives: leadership
El Cerrito Needs An Overhaul—Not Cosmetic Fixes
El Cerrito’s problems run far deeper than budget shortfalls and service delays. They are systemic—rooted in a culture of poor financial stewardship, opaque decision-making, and an entrenched unwillingness to hold leadership accountable. These challenges cannot be resolved by tinkering at the margins or by trusting the same people who created them to suddenly reverse course.Continue reading “El Cerrito Needs An Overhaul—Not Cosmetic Fixes”
Grasping at Straws
Proponents of the massive and costly library are grasping at straws. Some community members and leaders in El Cerrito argue that our city’s library is underused because it is “too old.” The implication is that if only we spent $75 million or more on a massive and costly new facility, people would suddenly flock backContinue reading “Grasping at Straws”
A $75+ Million Gamble El Cerrito Can’t Afford
El Cerrito voters are being asked to consider a massive $75 million+ tax measure for a new library. But before agreeing to decades of new taxes, residents deserve to ask a simple question: what guarantee do we have that this library will ever get built? The city’s current plan relies on the construction of aContinue reading “A $75+ Million Gamble El Cerrito Can’t Afford”
The El Cerrito Democratic Machine Is Failing Us
A micro blog For years, the El Cerrito Democratic Club and its political allies have backed the same cast of characters—Greg Lyman, Gabe Quinto, Carolyn Wysinger, and their revolving-door circle of endorsements. What do they all have in common? A long record of prioritizing their own egos and personal agendas over the real needs ofContinue reading “The El Cerrito Democratic Machine Is Failing Us”
Another Tax, Same Old Story: What’s Really Driving El Cerrito’s Library Measure?
This blog is informed by the concerns and research of engaged El Cerrito residents. El Cerrito voters are once again being asked to open their wallets—this time for a new library. But before signing on to another tax, residents should ask: Who really benefits? The Pattern: Promise a Service, Divert the Funds This isn’t theContinue reading “Another Tax, Same Old Story: What’s Really Driving El Cerrito’s Library Measure?”
Why El Cerrito Shouldn’t Trust Them with One More Dime
For years, El Cerrito residents have been misled — by City Attorney Sky Woodruff, who quietly shapes how ballot measures are presented, and by former Councilmember Greg Lyman, whose decisions nearly bankrupted the city. Now they’re back, pushing a new library tax through a campaign riddled with misleading claims and questionable tactics. This time, theyContinue reading “Why El Cerrito Shouldn’t Trust Them with One More Dime”
Richmond Street: The Train Has Left the Station
Informed by a concerned citizen Yesterday on June 26, 2025, El Cerrito management presented their vision for the Richmond Street project—and if you missed the meeting, you can watch the recording here: 🔗 Watch the Presentation 📊 View the Survey Results Let’s start with the good news. There were a few bright spots: Public EngagementContinue reading “Richmond Street: The Train Has Left the Station”
EL CERRITO MAYOR, COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGER SOLD OUT RICHMOND STREET RESIDENTS FOR AN $8 MILLION FEDERAL GRANT
Despite hosting public meetings and inviting resident feedback, the City of El Cerrito had already accepted $8 million in federal funding before residents were shown the final plan. The public input process was performative—a façade of engagement after the decision had already been made. The Richmond Street Complete Streets Project will remove 160 out ofContinue reading “EL CERRITO MAYOR, COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGER SOLD OUT RICHMOND STREET RESIDENTS FOR AN $8 MILLION FEDERAL GRANT”
🌐 One Rule for the City Manager, Another for Everyone Else 🌐
In El Cerrito, we see a troubling example of how power can become concentrated in the hands of a few—an oligarchy. When decisions are made behind closed doors, transparency is ignored, and public input is dismissed, it’s the residents who suffer. The council has allowed city leadership to repeatedly ignore public engagement, preferring decisions madeContinue reading “🌐 One Rule for the City Manager, Another for Everyone Else 🌐”
El Cerrito’s $89M Pension Crisis: Misplaced Blame on CalPERS #3
During the May 20, 2025 presentation to the El Cerrito City Council, NHA Advisors—serving as the city’s financial advisor—essentially blamed CalPERS for El Cerrito’s $89 million Unfunded Accrued Liability (UAL), citing underperformance in investment returns. But that explanation doesn’t hold up to scrutiny. Other cities relying on CalPERS are not facing pension liabilities near thisContinue reading “El Cerrito’s $89M Pension Crisis: Misplaced Blame on CalPERS #3”
Doing What They Want and Begging for What They Need
Truth is suppressed, not to protect the country from enemy agents, but to protect the Government of the day against the people. —— Essential, But Not Budgeted: The Cost of Poor Planning in El Cerrito El Cerrito continues to show signs of financial mismanagement—this time by failing to include known, essential expenses in the city’sContinue reading “Doing What They Want and Begging for What They Need”
El Cerrito’s Budget Illusion
El Cerrito residents are being misled. Despite claims of discretionary spending, the reality is starkly different. The so-called “surplus” is nothing more than a fragile cushion, barely above the minimum reserve requirement—and it’s shrinking fast. Here’s what you need to know. Not Discretionary Funds – Only a Cushion The city’s financial projections show approximately $2.1Continue reading “El Cerrito’s Budget Illusion”
Facing Facts in El Cerrito: The Fiscal Conversation We Deserve
As El Cerrito prepares its FY 2025–2026 budget, city staff are touting a “balanced” financial plan. But residents should take a closer look. Beneath the headlines and hopeful proclamations lies a sobering fiscal reality: We are inching toward more profound structural instability, masked by one-time funding shifts and unsustainable reserve draws. The $4.5 Million AskContinue reading “Facing Facts in El Cerrito: The Fiscal Conversation We Deserve”
El Cerrito City Council Votes to Deplete Reserves—Again
In a troubling echo of past financial mismanagement, the El Cerrito City Council recently voted 4-1 (with Councilmember Ktsanes dissenting) to withdraw $1 million from city reserves, leaving just $11 in unrestricted reserves. This is the same reckless budgeting approach that previously led to El Cerrito’s going concern warning, high-risk designation, and a dismal BBB-Continue reading “El Cerrito City Council Votes to Deplete Reserves—Again”
El Cerrito Library Campaign Faces Major Setback
The long-debated plan to construct a new library in El Cerrito Plaza has encountered yet another delay, raising concerns about transparency, fiscal responsibility, and the city’s priorities. Shifting Deadlines and Unseen Data In 2023, residents were told that a $300-per-year forever tax was necessary to fund the new library and that the deadline for passingContinue reading “El Cerrito Library Campaign Faces Major Setback”
Understanding El Cerrito’s Check Register Limitations – microblog
The City of El Cerrito recently released its monthly disbursement and check register. While such reports might seem like a step toward transparency, they offer little insight into the city’s financial health. A check register is merely a list of payments made within a specific time frame, without providing any context about the overall budget,Continue reading “Understanding El Cerrito’s Check Register Limitations – microblog”
Karen Pinkos’ Contract Extension: Political Risks Examined
El Cerrito’s City Manager, Karen Pinkos, was recently granted a five-year contract extension despite the city’s ongoing financial struggles, declining services, and growing public dissatisfaction. While this decision might appear to endorse her leadership, it was not driven by confidence. Instead, the move reflects the previous City Council’s political calculation, whose political futures are tightlyContinue reading “Karen Pinkos’ Contract Extension: Political Risks Examined”
Understanding El Cerrito’s Special Tax Bond Risks
A concerned citizen recently raised critical points about El Cerrito’s proposed $21 million bond issue for a new library, and these concerns deserve serious attention. Many residents might assume that a financial analysis of the city’s creditworthiness is required for this bond approval—but that’s not the case. Here’s why: The Reality of Special Tax &Continue reading “Understanding El Cerrito’s Special Tax Bond Risks”
Progress Made, Challenges Remain
Five years ago, the California State Auditor identified El Cerrito as one of the 18 cities in California most at risk of bankruptcy due to fiscal mismanagement. Among nearly 500 cities, El Cerrito ranked seventh from the bottom in financial health and was placed in the state’s “Local Government High Risk Program.” Despite some progress,Continue reading “Progress Made, Challenges Remain”
El Cerrito Committee for Responsible Government (ECCRG) 