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Dear Neighbor, Measure C has sparked a real community conversation — about our library, our city’s finances, and the priorities we want El Cerrito to have in the future. Some residents have followed every detail closely. Others may be sorting through conflicting claims and trying to understand what the measure actually does. Because this decision is important, I want to share a fuller explanation than would fit in a mailer or slogan. In a small community such as ours, your informed vote truly matters.
Before getting into details, here is the core of what Measure C would do:
Libraries today are about far more than books. They are one of the few remaining free public spaces where children, students, seniors, jobseekers, families, and neighbors of every background can gather, learn, and connect without needing to spend money simply to be there. |
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“Can El Cerrito Afford This?” Our city leaders are deeply committed to both El Cerrito’s long-term financial well-being and the essential services residents count on every day — including our recycling center, pool, parks and recreation programs, senior services, road maintenance, public trees, and other community resources that help make El Cerrito such a special place to live.
Today, El Cerrito’s unrestricted reserves stand at approximately $18 million — about 30% of annual General Fund expenditures — well above the benchmark of 16.7% recommended by the Government Finance Officers Association for local governments. Every month of delay makes a new library in El Cerrito more expensive. Construction inflation in the Bay Area is about 6% annually, and if Measure C is successful, we will have saved our city a minimum of $350,000, simply by holding this special municipal election on June 2 alongside the gubernatorial election – rather than waiting until the Nov. 3 general election. |
In 2019, the California State Auditor asked El Cerrito to strengthen its financial management and oversight practices. The city took those recommendations seriously, rebuilding its financial reserves, and improving its fiscal policies and transparency. In 2024, the city received a favorable follow-up audit that reflects this progress. |
How Future Library Hours Would Be Paid For El Cerrito’s library is part of the Contra Costa County library system. The county pays for and will continue to pay for 40 library hours each week. If we have a larger library, the county will pay for additional staffing needed for those 40 hours. Measure C provides funding for up to 16 additional hours each week during the first 10 years of the library’s operations.
But, you may ask, how will we pay for those extra hours after 10 years? It’s a reasonable question. Because of decisions by CalPERS made in the 1990s, many California cities, including El Cerrito, face rising pension costs through 2031 due to long-term CalPERS (California Public Employees' Retirement System) funding obligations. According to CalPERS projections, those costs are expected to decline substantially starting in 2031. By 2040, right about when Measure C’s 10 years of extra operating hours end – the city will be paying $3 million less into CalPERS annually than it pays now. That money will be available for other El Cerrito needs, including extra hours for the library. And regardless, the library will continue to be open for the 40 hours weekly paid for by the county. |
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What happens if Measure C passes? While the city has done preliminary research on several scenarios for a new or refurbished library, more work is needed before final decisions can be made. Fully evaluating costs, feasibility, design, and site options will require professional studies and public engagement. Measure C provides funds to do that. The options currently under consideration include:
Each option has pros and cons, which are too lengthy to debate here, but you can read more about them here. The possible BART location emerged in 2016, and it was added to the city’s 2024–2029 strategic planning process, which included surveys, focus groups, and public meetings. But no final site decision has been made. Measure C funding also would create the local “matching funds” that are usually required to compete for major state, county, and foundation grants. Some residents have asked why the city has not already secured grant funding for a new library. The reality is that grant providers rarely fund projects that are still conceptual, lack voter authorization, do not yet have a defined site, design, feasibility studies, or committed local investment. A successful grant application requires far more than a general idea — it requires a credible, community-supported project with demonstrated financial commitment behind it. Measure C creates the process and funding necessary to move from concepts to a concrete plan capable of attracting outside dollars. The city is forming a citizen Library Task Force to help oversee site analysis, project costs, library design, and public engagement. All Measure C expenditures would be subject to independent audits and legally restricted to library purposes. For the specific details, you can review the Measure C ordinance language here. |
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A Longstanding Community Priority A decade ago, in 2016, El Cerrito voters came remarkably close to approving a tax to build a new library for El Cerrito. That measure — Measure B — was placed on the ballot by the City Council — and received an impressive 63% of the vote in support, but fell short of the two-thirds threshold then required to pass. That result made something very clear: many El Cerrito residents believe our library deserves investment and modernization.
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In a 2025 community-priorities survey, El Cerrito residents ranked a new or improved library among the city’s top public infrastructure priorities. Unlike in 2016, Measure C qualified for the ballot based on citizens’ signature gathering efforts — no small accomplishment. Most citizen-led initiatives never make it to the ballot at all, making this a significant demonstration of sustained community interest and engagement.|
What Would It Cost? Measure C proposes a per-square-foot parcel tax. For El Cerrito’s average-sized home — 1,950 square feet — the total of the 32-year tax would be about $8,800 per average household and look like this over time:
To calculate your property taxes, click here. Our City Leaders Are Our Neighbors I also want to address something else I’ve heard in recent mailers and campaign materials: the suggestion that our city leaders should not be trusted.
We are fortunate to live in a city with residents who step forward to serve because they genuinely care about El Cerrito. |
I have worked alongside many members of our City Council over the years. These are not career politicians getting rich off public office. They are your neighbors. Our council members receive modest part-time compensation while putting in countless hours attending meetings, responding to residents, studying budgets, and working through complicated city issues. Every one of them had a long record of volunteerism and community service before ever serving on the council. |
* * * * * * * * * There is so much more I could offer in the way of details, but this email is already longer than most campaign messages!! If you still have questions, I hope you will attend one of our Zoom office hours (sign up here) or review common Myths and Facts here. Reasonable people may disagree about taxes, priorities, and specific projects. That is part of democracy. But I hope this conversation can remain grounded in facts, good faith, and a shared commitment to El Cerrito’s future. El Cerrito has done this before. We built a swim center that brings families together. We invested in public safety facilities and civic infrastructure because we believed they matter to the quality of life in our city. Our public infrastructure needs continued investment to keep serving our community well.
Measure C has earned broad support from community leaders, educators, residents, and organizations across El Cerrito. Our endorsements are here. That support exists because they know this is fiscally prudent and that El Cerrito taxpayer investment is critical to build a new library or renovate our existing library; and strengthen El Cerrito for the future. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and thank you for being an engaged member of our community. Sincerely, Greg Lyman
Paid for by Yes on El Cerrito Library Measure C |
At a time when so much of modern life feels fragmented and isolating, shared public spaces matter more than ever. A library is one of the few remaining free public spaces where everyone is welcome regardless of age, income, or background. It’s where children discover reading, students study after school, seniors stay connected, jobseekers search for opportunity, immigrants access resources, and neighbors gather without needing to buy anything simply to belong.
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