Category Archives: State Audit

In El Cerrito, consultants don’t just provide professional services—they provide reassurance. And for a city in financial distress, that comfort has become dangerously convenient. At the May 20, 2025, City Council meeting, NHA Advisors—El Cerrito’s longtime financial consultants—blamed CalPERS investment performance for the city’s soaring $89 million pension liability. But that narrative ignores reality. NearlyContinue reading “The Comfort of Consultants”

El Cerrito residents deserve a transparent and responsible budgeting process—but we’re getting sleight of hand instead. During the cityCouncil meeting today, City Manager Karen Pinkos continued to present an operating budget that deliberately excluded known expenses. These aren’t surprises. They’re foreseeable needs—yet they’re left out of the formal budget and funded later using unrestricted reserves.Continue reading “Expose Budgeting Tactics in El Cerrito: A Call for Reform – Microblog”

Subtitle: Let’s stop making residents the fallback plan—and start building a city where libraries and communities thrive together. There’s a push for a new library tax in our community. Supporters point to much-needed improvements—longer hours, updated facilities, better technology, and expanded programs. Libraries are anchors in our neighborhoods. They offer access, education, and connection. WeContinue reading “A Better Way to Fund Our Future: Why Financial Health Should Come Before a Library Tax”

A concerned citizen emailed us: After paying what feels like the king’s ransom to live in El Cerrito. Again. And every time I settle my tax bill, We are left asking: what exactly are we getting for it? For years now, El Cerrito has ranked among the highest-taxed small cities in the Bay Area. WhileContinue reading “Just Finished Paying the King’s Ransom — El Cerrito’s Taxes Are Criminal”

In a city like El Cerrito, where residents are continually asked to support tax increases and where reserves barely exceed minimum recommended levels, fiscal responsibility shouldn’t be a suggestion; it should be a standard. But recent actions suggest otherwise. On December 17, 2024, the City Manager used a taxpayer-funded credit card to pay $372.26 forContinue reading “El Cerrito’s Taxpayer Funded Luncheon: A Call for Fiscal Responsibility”

El Cerrito has a pension problem that’s been compounding for years. Instead of meeting it head-on, the city has continued to apply minor fixes to a rapidly growing financial burden. One glaring example? The decision to open a Section 115 Trust fund with just $1 million, despite the city’s economic advisors recommending at least $5Continue reading “MicroBlog: A Cup of Water on a House Fire – El Cerrito’s Misguided Pension Strategy”

The City of El Cerrito is considering a proposal to add a dedicated bike lane on Richmond Street — a move that would eliminate residential parking on one side of the street and significantly impact the daily lives of long-term residents. While the city promotes the project as a step toward equity, sustainability, and saferContinue reading “A Bike Lane at What Cost? Richmond Street Residents Speak Out”

A City Manager’s job is to implement the vision of the City Council—but also to provide clear, measurable results that benefit residents. In a city our size, results should be visible. Here are a few areas where metrics matter: • Infrastructure – Have road conditions, lighting, and city facilities improved over the past five years?Continue reading “Microblog: What Should a City Manager Be Accountable For?”

When El Cerrito’s current city manager assumed office, the city held an AA credit rating, a mark of financial stability and prudent management. Fast-forward to today, and the city is hanging on to a BBB rating, a stark drop that raises serious concerns about financial governance and the city’s economic future. This decline reflects poorly onContinue reading “El Cerrito’s Credit Rating: A Story of Fiscal Decline”