u/2026NOCEC

16 Reasons to Vote No on Measure C

Some community members have been asking what the main reasons are to vote No on Measure C. Below is my list. There are so many reasons it is hard to keep track of all of them. THE FINANCIAL BURDEN

The construction cost has already ballooned to $37 million — up 75% from the $21.2 million used when signatures were being collected.
A similar library in Bay Point, built within an affordable housing development, cost just $27 million, and the county received $12 million in state and federal grants — leaving just $15 million for local taxpayers. El Cerrito has no comparable grants lined up.
The city faces a structural deficit of millions of dollars.
The tax escalates every year, compounding at roughly 5% annually.
The city's own numbers show the tax revenue barely covers bond debt payments — leaving almost no cushion. If costs escalate, as is likely, and if the interest rate environment worsens, the General Fund will have to cover the difference.
After 10 years, operating costs fall on the General Fund, potentially crowding out police, fire, and streets funding. At the May 5, 2026 council meeting, Budget Director Claire Coleman stated that this situation has not been analyzed. In other words, right now, no one knows how the city would pay library operating costs.
Measure C may drive businesses out of El Cerrito. A permanent, escalating parcel tax hits commercial properties too — and businesses have no exemption of any kind. TRUST AND TRACK RECORD
Trust — the Yes campaign leaders brought El Cerrito to its financial knees. When the Yes leader started on the council, El Cerrito had an AA- credit rating. When he left, the rating was BBB- and the city was being audited by the state auditor.
Trust — the Yes campaign has already had to retract multiple claims about the project. STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS
The city does not own the land — BART does. El Cerrito holds only a lease.
A key state grant for the project was rejected in December 2025, leaving a hole in the funding plan.
No parking — the city's consultants recommended 63 parking spaces, but in an early concession to the developers that was reduced to zero dedicated parking spaces for the library. The city is withholding its parking study until after the election.
Legal issues — if the Jarvis amendment passes, that statewide proposal would eliminate Measure C. The city attorney said the issue would be litigated. Your tax dollars would be spent on lawyers while any possibility of a new library would be on hold and costs would continue to escalate. EQUITY
The senior exemption is essentially worthless — zero seniors have successfully claimed it under the comparable Measure H since 2019.
Unlike Albany, there is no exemption for low-income residents, renters, or fixed-income households. DRAFTING PROBLEMS
The ballot measure is poorly written. The city attorney has had to use terms such as "legally defensible interpretation."

Measure C tax

I vote no on Measure C