Details Matter

TAX MYTHS

Does Measure C create a time-limited, needs-based parcel tax with built-in limits and oversight? Yes!

Myth: This is a “forever” tax.
Fact: The tax ends 30 years after planning and construction bonds are issued. The 30-year limit is specified in the ballot measure and the ordinance.

Myth: The tax will start at 17 cents per square foot and then rise 4 percent every year thereafter.
Fact:The tax rate will not escalate that much. No matter what, the tax will be less than half of the 17 cents maximum in the first two years, when the money will cover planning and design. Once construction bonds are issued, it would rise to about 13 cents. For the first 10 years after the library opens, the tax funds would cover the bonds plus operating costs above the county-funded 40 hours a week. This is the only time that the tax might approach the 17 cents maximum. After 14 years, the tax rate will drop significantly and then remain flat. At the highest rate, it will cost the homeowner of a typical 1,950 square foot home less than $28 per month.

Myth: The tax will always be set to the maximum allowable rate.
Fact: The city can only collect as much as is actually needed in any given year. While the measure allows for a parcel tax of up to 17 cents per square foot of living space, the City cannot charge the full amount unless expenses justify it. In the first two years, the City will collect less than the maximum because funds will only be needed for architecture and planning—not construction or operations.

Myth: The tax will increase forever.
Fact: The tax will actually decline around year 14 – and then stay flat. For the first 10 years after the library opens, the tax will cover both construction debt and library operations (above the baseline county-funded service). After that – roughly year 14, allowing four years to design and build the library – operating costs above the county baseline are no longer funded by the tax. That means the tax will go down as it will only be paying off construction debt. Like a fixed-rate mortgage or car loan, these payments will remain consistent over the life of the loan.

Myth: The City Council will raise the tax every year.
Fact: The measure authorizes—but does not require—the City Council to adjust the tax rate to keep up with inflation. Each year, the Council will determine the amount needed for construction and operating expenses (for the first 10 years) in a public process. The tax cannot exceed 115% of the amount required for these purposes. This strict cap provides flexibility for unforeseen circumstances, such as damage to the property or unexpected operational costs.

Myth: The tax won’t provide enough revenue to fund the library.
Fact: An independent consultant evaluated all seven options in the City’s Impact Report and determined that the tax revenues would be sufficient to build a library under all scenarios. (See El Cerrito Impact Report, Feb 2026)

Myth: There is no senior exemption.
Fact: The proposed ordinance allows the City Council to modify the senior exemption as long as it does not increase the tax burden, giving it the authority to carry out the intent to provide an exemption.

In April, the Council directed staff to expand the exemption and adopted a resolution removing the disability requirement, so property owners age 62+ earning under $55,000 now qualify for a waiver under the existing Measure H and, if approved, Measure C. Unlike the earlier approach that relied on state reimbursement, the City will simply forgo the revenue from eligible low-income seniors. For additional detail, click here.

Myth: The library may never be built but the tax will still be collected.
Fact: The City can collect only the money needed to pay off expenses and loan debt. The tax may be used for planning and design before construction starts. But if the project is not built, then the City cannot continue collecting the tax.

Myth: We will need another tax in 10 years to keep the library open.
Fact: Today, the City general fund covers library operations above the 40 hours a week funded by the county. . It can do the same after the first 10 years of the new library. In fact, the City’s budget is expected to have more flexibility as it pays off debt for Arlington Avenue fire station, City Hall, and, per an outside auditor, by 2038 will have greatly reduced its unfunded liabilities for state pensions via CalPERS. Also, the County Librarian and County Supervisors are exploring ways to guarantee 56 hours of service a week at all libraries in the County.

LOCATION MYTHS

Does Measure C fund a new library without locking in a location or design, emphasizing a transparent, community-driven decision process? Yes!

Myth: We are voting on a specific library.
Fact: Measure C funds library planning, construction, and the first 10 years of operating expenses. Size, location, and design will be decided with community input. The City Council has evaluated seven options listed here by increasing cost: renovating the current library; expanding the current library to two-stories, without and with parking; building a library as part of BART’s El Cerrito Plaza Station development; renovating an existing retail location for library use; and building a new stand-alone library, without and with parking (See El Cerrito Impact Report, Feb 2026, pp. 5, 18, 25-28).

Myth: This is a handout to cover BART Plaza construction costs that benefits private developers.
Fact: No library location has been selected. A community engagement process will determine the library location and design. This is a transparent, fiscally prudent approach to the new library location.

Myth: The Plaza Station location is inaccessible and is not central.
Fact: El Cerrito Plaza is the central commercial area for the City. Studies show that libraries create a 23% bump in spending at nearby businesses (See California State Library, 2021). People are likely to combine their trips to the library with trips to the Farmer’s Market, Trader Joe’s, CVS, Chipotle, Jamba Juice, PetCo, and Peet’s Coffee.

The Plaza Station is located on the Ohlone Greenway and at a BART station. The neighborhood is extremely accessible, and earned a walk score of 95/100. You don’t need a car to get there. The Plaza site is more accessible to a greater number of students than the Stockton site. It is a 5-minute walk from Harding Elementary School and a 10-minute walk from ECHS (with a combined total of nearly 2,000 students). Many high school students take BART or walk to the Plaza after school and would benefit from easy access to the library.

Myth: The city shouldn’t build a library on land it doesn’t own—even with a $1/year, 99-year lease from BART.
Fact: A 99-year ground lease at a nominal cost is a standard, practical approach that gives the city full control of the library building while avoiding the high cost of buying land. In effect, 99 years functions like ownership for multiple generations, and most civic buildings are renovated or replaced well before 99 years.

REVENUE MYTHS

Does Measure C dedicate funds only to library use, establish a dedicated funding structure to make the project financially viable, and position the City to secure additional grants? Yes!

Myth: The city can use the proceeds from the measure for other purposes.
Fact: The money collected is legally restricted to library planning, building, and the first 10 years of operating (above the county baseline). In fact, the ordinance says none of the money can be spent on City administration salaries or benefits.

Myth: The City can’t afford a library.
Fact: Revenue from the tax will go into a separate fund that can only be used for library purposes. When construction bonds are issued, the interest rate for the debt repayment will be based on property values, not the City’s bond rating.

Myth: The City hasn’t pursued County grants to fund the library.
Fact: The City sought County funding in 2025 but was told that only projects with matching funds would be considered. Measure C would provide that match, and help secure state, federal and private philanthropy grants.

TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY MYTHS

Does Measure C require public input and oversight? Yes!

Myth: Citizens won’t have any input on the location or design of the library.
Fact: The City Council is convening an El Cerrito Library Task Force and will run a public process to guide decisions on design, services, and location.

Myth: We can’t trust the City to use the funds for the library.
Fact: Measure C can only be used for library purposes. The revenues will be held in a separate fund, audited annually, and overseen by a citizens’ committee.

Myth: The City is asking the voters to issue a blank check. Why don’t we know the full long-term cost?
Fact: Final costs depend on the project selected and when construction starts. Measure C creates a funding source so the City and residents can evaluate real options and make informed decisions. Homeowners don’t start building or remodeling without planning first. They hire a designer or architect to understand options and costs, then decide what to include based on their budget. A Yes vote creates a funding source and allows the City to start serious planning so that residents and the City Council can make an informed decision.

AND WHAT ABOUT...

Has the City thoroughly evaluated all viable options and determined that Measure C is the most practical path to building a safe, modern, and well-used library? Yes!

Myth: There are better options that the City Council hasn’t considered.
Fact: The City Council has considered many options over the years. Opponents have not identified any other viable option. A YES vote builds a safe, modern library. A NO vote means no improvements. Having a library in our community is what’s at stake.

Myth: It would be cheaper to rent an empty commercial space like Barnes & Noble or Marshall’s.
Fact: The City studied renovating an existing retail location, and found that it was one of the costliest options at $41M (See El Cerrito Impact Report, Feb 2026, p. 26). The City would still need a tax to fund interior improvements to build separate rooms. If the City rents the building to reduce land acquisition costs ($12 million) then the City would not recoup the cost of the improvements at the end of the lease. The library would be subject to rent increases and the whims of a commercial landlord. The city would also forego revenues such as sales tax from commercial activity at that site.

Myth: It’s a bad idea to build the library at BART’s Plaza Station development on land that the City doesn’t own.
Fact: The location of the library will be determined with a robust citizen process. If the Plaza Station location is chosen, the developer will provide a lease agreement for $1 a year for 99-years – longer than the expected life of a public building.

Myth: There will be no parking.
Fact: The majority (57%) of the seven location scenarios the City studied have parking (See El Cerrito Impact Report, Feb 2026). The City has committed to creating short-term parking for library users. At the Plaza Station location, BART will have 150 parking spaces for commuters available at nights and weekends; the City could create angled parking spaces on Liberty Street; also that location is directly across Fairmont St. from the Plaza’s large parking lot. At the Stockton Avenue location, a garage may be an option. Currently, only a few parking spots behind the current library belong to the City, the rest belong to the school district.

Myth: El Cerrito already has a perfectly good library but needs a…[pick your priority].
Fact: El Cerrito’s library is small, seismically unsafe, has no air conditioning and can not serve as a place of refuge in a heat or smoke emergency. No other potential public infrastructure projects have undergone as much evaluation and planning as the library.

Myth: People don’t use libraries anymore.
Fact: Libraries today provide study space, internet access, programs, and community services used by many residents.Theylend technology and physical tools, support entrepreneurship, offer cultural events, provide space for community gatherings, offer shelter from extreme weather, cure loneliness—and the list goes on. Libraries are the heart of the community.