From a recent social media discussion. At the October 7 City Council meeting, the Council considered authorizing an additional $391,000 to Ghirardelli Associates for “construction management services” related to the El Cerrito Del Norte Transit-Oriented Development Complete Streets Project. This wasn’t a competitive bid. It was a contract extension, justified by claims that the originalContinue reading “El Cerrito’s Selective Spending: Expert Voices Without Expertise”
Tag Archives: El Cerrito
💰 Taxing Our Way to Maintaining Services Hasn’t Worked
For decades, El Cerrito has responded to fiscal pressures with one familiar tool: more taxes. From parcel taxes and storm drain assessments to multiple sales tax hikes and the 1.2% real property transfer tax, voters have repeatedly been asked to approve new revenue streams to “preserve city services” and “prevent cuts.” Yet today, service levelsContinue reading “💰 Taxing Our Way to Maintaining Services Hasn’t Worked”
The People You’re Leaving Behind
(This blog was influenced by a social media post that raised important concerns about how leadership responds to residents.) Mayor Wysinger, Your handling of the Richmond Street project reflects a troubling disregard for the people who are most vulnerable in this city — the elderly, the disabled, and multigenerational families — and a pattern ofContinue reading “The People You’re Leaving Behind”
El Cerrito’s Workplace Standards
El Cerrito’s Leadership Crisis: Culture, Costs, and Consequences El Cerrito is in trouble. Services are declining, costs are rising, and the city’s workplace culture is not productive. This environment doesn’t just erode morale—it drives away top talent and makes recruitment nearly impossible. What’s left is mediocrity at best—and dysfunction at worst. Residents Deserve Better ElContinue reading “El Cerrito’s Workplace Standards”
El Cerrito Library Proposal: Who Really Benefits?
El Cerrito is moving ahead with plans to build a new library at Fairmount and Liberty, near the Plaza BART station. At first glance, the idea of a modern library sounds appealing—who doesn’t want better facilities for families, students, and lifelong learners? However, upon closer examination, serious disadvantages become apparent. This isn’t about opposing libraries.Continue reading “El Cerrito Library Proposal: Who Really Benefits?”
Bond Ratings Up, But Paid For With Your Taxes and One-Time Funds
Federal relief dollars, new taxes, and emergency fund raids aren’t financial stewardship — they’re passing the buck. In the September 2025 City Manager’s report, El Cerrito highlighted what it framed as good news: S&P Global Ratings raised the City’s bond ratings to A+ and A-, with a positive outlook for future upgrades. This was presentedContinue reading “Bond Ratings Up, But Paid For With Your Taxes and One-Time Funds”
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”
Libraries are good. This plan isn’t.
El Cerrito deserves a great library—but not at the wrong price. The City’s plan locks residents into $75M+ in new taxes for a ground-floor space in a BART housing project that the City won’t even own. We need a better plan—one that gives El Cerrito a true library, not just another forever tax. 👉 IfContinue reading “Libraries are good. This plan isn’t.”
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”
Library Plan Serves Developers, Not Residents
Across El Cerrito, the agents of the City are holding meetings to promote its so-called “Transit-Oriented Development Library” project. They’re also going door to door promoting this initiative. On the surface, it sounds like progress—finally replacing the undersized, aging library. But residents should look more closely at what’s being pitched. This is not a trueContinue reading “Library Plan Serves Developers, Not Residents”
The False Choice Between Expenses and Services
One of the most overused lines from El Cerrito’s city leadership is: “Cutting expenses means cutting services.” It’s a simplistic and frankly idiotic statement that City Manager Karen Pinkos and Councilmember Lisa Motoyama have repeated so often they seem to believe it themselves. If that logic were true, the reverse would also be true: addingContinue reading “The False Choice Between Expenses and Services”
El Cerrito’s Library Plan: Big Price Tag, Shrinking Foot Traffic
The City of El Cerrito is pushing ahead with plans for a 21,000 square-foot library at a cost of over $75 million—and the price could ultimately reach $100 million. The proposed funding mechanism? A $300 per year parcel tax that residents would be locked into forever with periodic escalation. At first glance, investing in publicContinue reading “El Cerrito’s Library Plan: Big Price Tag, Shrinking Foot Traffic”
El Cerrito Library: Public Safety Data Reveals Risks
In August 2019, a consultant hired by the City of El Cerrito flagged several potential issues with building a new library at the Plaza site. Even then, concerns about safety and accessibility were part of the conversation. Fast forward to today, and fresh analysis of police incident data suggests those concerns may have been well-founded.Continue reading “El Cerrito Library: Public Safety Data Reveals Risks”
El Cerrito’s Senior Center: A Promise the City Has Chosen to Forget
In March 2016, the El Cerrito City Council made a clear and unanimous commitment to its residents. Under then-Mayor Greg Lyman, the council voted for the Portola site as the location for a new library and explicitly rejected the “library-only” plan. Instead, they approved Proposal 1b, which included adequate space for a new senior center—aContinue reading “El Cerrito’s Senior Center: A Promise the City Has Chosen to Forget”
Understanding California’s Sunshine Ordinance
In today’s age of information, transparency in government is more than just a buzzword—it’s a fundamental pillar of democracy. Across California, the idea of a “Sunshine Ordinance” has come to symbolize the state’s commitment to keeping government operations open, accountable, and accessible to the public. While there isn’t one single, statewide sunshine ordinance, a mixContinue reading “Understanding California’s Sunshine Ordinance”
Rethinking El Cerrito’s Library Expansion: A Community Approach
A recent East Bay Times article highlights the undeniable challenges facing El Cerrito’s public library: it’s overcrowded, outdated, and seismically unsafe. No one disputes that the current facility falls short of what the community deserves (see the full article here). But the article stops short of asking an equally important question—what’s the most responsible and sustainableContinue reading “Rethinking El Cerrito’s Library Expansion: A Community Approach”
A History of Broken Promises and Misplaced Priorities
Thank you to the neighbors and community members who continue raising essential questions about how our city spends taxpayer money. It’s not just about one issue—it’s about a decades-long pattern of financial decisions that don’t align with the promises made to voters. Remember Measure D? In 2008, El Cerrito voters approved a 30-year bond (MeasureContinue reading “A History of Broken Promises and Misplaced Priorities”
Local Data Analyst Starts Blog on El Cerrito Finances!
Ira Sharenow, an El Cerrito–based data analyst who has educated the local community on city finances and other civic issues through Nextdoor, has launched a new blog focused on El Cerrito’s financial health and department performance. His first post dives into El Cerrito’s CalPERS Unfunded Accrued Liability (UAL), offering clear analysis, charts, and a full report. Read theContinue reading “Local Data Analyst Starts Blog on El Cerrito Finances! “
The Real Reason El Cerrito Isn’t Talking About Unrestricted Reserves Part II
Since FY22–23, El Cerrito’s unrestricted General Fund reserves have been in steady decline. And it’s no accident. Behind the scenes, the City has been quietly drawing down those reserves—while hoping the public won’t notice. Why? Because they’re counting on voters to approve the so-called “Forever Tax” to plug the holes. In 2023, the City CouncilContinue reading “The Real Reason El Cerrito Isn’t Talking About Unrestricted Reserves Part II”
Thank You to El Cerrito Daily News
At a time when too many residents feel unheard and overlooked, The El Cerrito Daily News has become a powerful force for civic awareness and engagement. We extend deep thanks to the founding members who stepped forward to shine light on our city’s decisions, priorities, and gaps. You’ve created a much-needed platform where truth canContinue reading “Thank You to El Cerrito Daily News”
El Cerrito Committee for Responsible Government (ECCRG) 