OPINION: El Cerrito City Council, show us you listened with a moratorium on Plaza BART library spending

 

By Betty Buginas

Seventy percent of El Cerrito voters voted “no” on Measure C, which was backed by four of the five City Council members. Not everyone who voted “no” had the same reasons, but two messages are clear. We want the city to spend our money carefully, and we don’t like the idea of having a library at the Plaza BART station. It simply will not serve everyone in the city. We often don’t feel listened to, and we need to see that you heard us this time.

Plaza library spending moratorium

The City Council should impose a moratorium on spending money and staff time on a library at Plaza BART. The city poured a lot of time and money into that plan before the voters ever had a say. You were elected to represent us. You need to pass our message on to city staff that this is not what we want.

Look at the big picture

A small group pushed conversation toward fantasizing about a dream library. Now it’s time for a grown-up discussion that focuses on all the city’s needs, including:

• A new public safety building - we count on their safety to ensure our safety
• Renovation of the community center/pool - it’s one of the most heavily used and cherished facilities in the city
• The needs of El Cerrito senior citizens - they are struggling more than you might realize

City Council salary and expenses

Council members have discussed the low salary they are paid. Move the money budgeted for travel to salary and to a more flexible fund that allows council members to keep those dollars in El Cerrito with informal sessions to meet with constituents. Send a message you care more about what El Cerrito residents have to say than what your peers outside the city think.

Note: This message is being submitted to the City Council in conjunction with the June 16 meeting. See the attached image for ways that you can comment as well.

More on the June 16 meeting

Opinion: What El Cerrito needs