They often claim they “worked hard to turn things around,” but here’s what actually happened: • Accepted $6.1 million in ARPA funds • Accepted $4 million+ per year in RPTT • Increased property taxes after revaluation • Benefited from increased sales tax revenue after court decisions ➡️ Over $12 million per year in extra revenues.Continue reading “What Did Management and Council Really Do?”
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El Cerrito Leadership: Focus on True Community Progress
Leadership is about setting goals, taking responsibility, and achieving meaningful results. But sometimes, leaders get caught up in celebrating small successes rather at the cost of focusing on the larger challenges ahead. This seems to be the case in El Cerrito, where recent social media posts suggest a disconnect between modest progress and the hardContinue reading “El Cerrito Leadership: Focus on True Community Progress”
Examining Citizen Participation in El Cerrito City Council Meetings
Public participation is a cornerstone of local government, ensuring transparency and accountability. However, recent practices in El Cerrito City Council meetings raise questions about how well the city’s processes align with its ordinances and the principles of open governance. Consent Calendar and Public Input One key issue lies with the Consent Calendar. This section ofContinue reading “Examining Citizen Participation in El Cerrito City Council Meetings”
El Cerrito Leadership: The Risks of Selective Transparency
In her recent State of El Cerrito address, Mayor Tessa Rudnick touted the city’s “large fund balance” as a sign of strong fiscal management. However, this narrative failed to acknowledge a critical detail: most of this fund balance is restricted, earmarked for specific uses, and unavailable to address broader community needs. Moreover, the city hasContinue reading “El Cerrito Leadership: The Risks of Selective Transparency”
El Cerrito’s Fire Service Staffing: A Costly Miscalculation
El Cerrito stands out among its neighboring cities for its unusually high concentration of fire services relative to its population and geographic size. The California State Auditor previously recommended that El Cerrito conduct a staffing analysis to determine the appropriate staffing levels for each classification. However, nearly four years later, the city has disregarded thisContinue reading “El Cerrito’s Fire Service Staffing: A Costly Miscalculation”
Final State of the City Address: Mayor’s Legacy in Focus
El Cerrito’s Mayor will deliver her final State of the City Address on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, marking a pivotal moment for the community. As she concludes her term without seeking reelection, this address provides a unique opportunity for an honest and thorough evaluation of the city’s current condition and its path forward. The MayorContinue reading “Final State of the City Address: Mayor’s Legacy in Focus”
The El Cerrito Senior Center: A Case of Neglect and Mismanagement
The plight of El Cerrito’s senior community has become an enduring symbol of the city’s administrative inertia and misplaced priorities. Over seven years after a concerned citizen brought the issue of the Senior Center to the City Council at the October 3, 2017 meeting (timestamp 19:25), seniors remain displaced, and the city continues to evadeContinue reading “The El Cerrito Senior Center: A Case of Neglect and Mismanagement”
El Cerrito’s Capital Improvement Needs: One-quarter of a Billion Dollars!
El Cerrito is facing an urgent and substantial need for capital improvements, estimated by the state auditor at nearly a quarter of a billion dollars. This staggering figure highlights the breadth of infrastructure needs within the city, encompassing everything from essential repairs to crucial building upgrades. Despite the significance of these unmet capital improvement needs,Continue reading “El Cerrito’s Capital Improvement Needs: One-quarter of a Billion Dollars!”
Put the right people in the right places, doing the right things – a microblog
Ensuring that the appropriate personnel are in optimal positions and performing effectively is a fundamental principle of management. This principle becomes particularly apparent during the city’s annual budget development. The City Manager frequently dismisses requests for more detailed information or budget modifications with a recurrent excuse: a shortage of staff. This repeated response, which residentsContinue reading “Put the right people in the right places, doing the right things – a microblog”
Mayor Tessa Rudnick: How Will You Lead Differently as a Future City Manager?
Mayor Tessa Rudnick has expressed aspirations to become a city manager one day. This raises an important question: How would she approach governance differently to ensure transparency, fiscal responsibility, and better outcomes for the residents of El Cerrito? With the State of the City Address approaching, now is the perfect time for Mayor Rudnick toContinue reading “Mayor Tessa Rudnick: How Will You Lead Differently as a Future City Manager?”
El Cerrito’s Governance: The Illusion of Transparency
El Cerrito’s City Manager Karen Pinkos often touts her commitment to transparency and public engagement. On paper, her administration checks all the boxes: public hearings are held, presentations are given, and decisions are announced. At first glance, this may appear as the textbook definition of participatory government. However, a deeper look into her leadership practicesContinue reading “El Cerrito’s Governance: The Illusion of Transparency”
El Cerrito’s Budget Crisis: City Manager Salary Increase Sparks Debate
On Tuesday, December 3, the El Cerrito City Council, is poised to approve a new five-year contract for City Manager Karen Pinkos, elevating her salary to $261,384—despite the city’s ongoing financial challenges. Since 2019, El Cerrito has been under scrutiny from the state auditor due to significant fiscal concerns, including persistent budget deficits and insufficientContinue reading “El Cerrito’s Budget Crisis: City Manager Salary Increase Sparks Debate”
The 2019 Warning: El Cerrito’s Financial Woes Began Long Before the 2021 Report
In 2019, the City of El Cerrito was formally placed under the spotlight of the California State Auditor’s Local High Risk Program, signaling serious concerns about its financial health. This was not a sudden revelation. The State Auditor’s assessment highlighted longstanding fiscal challenges that required immediate attention. By February 2020, the Joint Legislative Audit CommitteeContinue reading “The 2019 Warning: El Cerrito’s Financial Woes Began Long Before the 2021 Report”
Four Years After the State Auditor’s Report: El Cerrito’s Financial Challenges Persist
Nearly 4 years ago in March 2021, the California State Auditor released a report exposing severe financial challenges in the City of El Cerrito. At that time, state auditor ranked El Cerrito, the sixth most likely city in the state of California to become bankrupt These issues included the depletion of unrestricted reserves, a structuralContinue reading “Four Years After the State Auditor’s Report: El Cerrito’s Financial Challenges Persist”
Prioritizing Proactive Policing Over Costly Technology in El Cerrito
The El Cerrito Police Department’s recent presentation on planned technology deployments has raised critical concerns about the city’s law enforcement priorities and fiscal responsibility. Proposals for tools such as Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR) for parking enforcement, facial recognition systems for criminal investigations, and both indoor and outdoor drones signal a shift toward expensive, high-techContinue reading “Prioritizing Proactive Policing Over Costly Technology in El Cerrito”
Concerns Over El Cerrito’s Unrestricted General Fund Balance
Residents of El Cerrito are raising concerns about the city’s unrestricted general fund (GF) balance due to the lack of transparency in financial reporting. The city does not report the unrestricted balance separately; instead, they group all reserves together, occasionally breaking out portions such as the Section 115 or emergency fund balance. However, the unrestrictedContinue reading “Concerns Over El Cerrito’s Unrestricted General Fund Balance”
El Cerrito’s Housing Project and Community Investments
El Cerrito is at a pivotal moment as the city pursues ambitious projects aimed at addressing housing needs and enhancing public services. A transit-oriented development (TOD) at the El Cerrito Plaza Station was a focal point of discussion during last night’s City Council meeting. Housing Project: Sustainable Living at the Forefront The city’s latest development,Continue reading “El Cerrito’s Housing Project and Community Investments”
Transparency and the Path Forward
The recent passage of Measure G marks a pivotal moment for the City of El Cerrito. With over 80% voter support, the extension of the 1 percent sales tax ensures funding for vital city services such as public safety, emergency response, park maintenance, and senior programs. City Manager’s recent newsletter emphasizes gratitude to the communityContinue reading “Transparency and the Path Forward”
Revisiting El Cerrito’s Spending: Time for a New Approach to City Staffing?
In 2020, the El Cerrito Committee for Responsible Government (ECCRG) demonstrated that El Cerrito’s spending outpaced that of neighboring cities, putting a significant financial burden on its residents. Fast forward to 2023, and likely in 24/25, the city’s expenses remain higher than those of nearby communities, even as neighboring cities have taken steps to manageContinue reading “Revisiting El Cerrito’s Spending: Time for a New Approach to City Staffing?”
El Cerrito’s Priorities: Legal Fees and Polling Over Community Needs?
Between December 2023 and March 2024, El Cerrito spent over $186,000 of taxpayer money on legal fees with the firm Meyers Nave, alongside approxy $40,000 on polling services from Godbe Research. These expenditures are tied to the City’s push for a new library project, a venture that has raised serious concerns among residents. What’s evenContinue reading “El Cerrito’s Priorities: Legal Fees and Polling Over Community Needs?”
El Cerrito Committee for Responsible Government (ECCRG) 