Opinion: Vote Yes on C

El Cerrito needs a new library, Measure C can put it in motion

By Paul Fadelli

This opinion was published March 26, 2026 in the East Bay Times. It is reprinted with the author's permission. It was reposted on April 19 because an earlier version omitted two paragraphs.

Site of a proposed library in a development planned for Plaza BART parking lots

It’s been 10 years since El Cerrito residents had the chance to debate and vote on whether they want a new modern library. Measure C, now on the June primary ballot, will allow a vote to replace its aging 76-year-old library.

El Cerrito’s existing library is unsafe and inadequate. It can’t offer satisfactory space or services that most other Contra Costa city libraries can.

In 2016, El Cerrito voters considered a $30 million bond measure to fund a new library, but it fell short of the required two-thirds approval threshold. This time, proponents are optimistic: a successful petition-driven process qualified the measure for the ballot, allowing it to pass with a simple majority rather than a supermajority.

But passage again this time is not assured because a new library won’t be cheap. With new local construction costs continuing to rise because of inflation, tariffs and supply route delays, a new El Cerrito library could cost as much as $37 million, according to one estimate. And, in a time when affordability remains a real concern for voters, the measure will compete on the ballot with others seeking additional taxes.

Measure C would authorize an annual parcel tax up to 17 cents per square foot applying to all building types for 30 years. Residents with a 1,000-square-foot house, for example, would pay a $170 tax payment through the county tax process. A 2,000-square-foot house would be taxed approximately $340. Vacant lots would be $100 a year. City Council could adjust tax rates annually based on cost-of-living indices.

But good things are worth paying for. The investment in our city is long overdue.

While Measure C doesn’t require a specific library location, the City Council has supported building at the BART El Cerrito Plaza Transit Oriented Development (TOD) project now under construction. This housing project will build 743 rental units and, in coordination with BART’s developers, a new 20,000-square-foot library with specific areas for seniors, teens, kids and community rooms for additional civic activities. Exciting too, its Fairmont Street border would undergo outside art and pedestrian-friendly upgrades.

Some have suggested that the BART location might not be the best. But with few other serious options in our city, it’s an exceptional opportunity.

The TOD site will be a new population center next to the city’s biggest retail district. It would have easy access to bike paths, BART and AC transit bus connections. It’s near San Pablo Avenue, the city Post Office, Harding School, and the Ohlone Greenway. A library here would contribute to a new center of activity and much needed economic development.

Over the past five years, El Cerrito has worked hard to come back from the impact of Covid and fiscal problems which reduced staff and cut services. There is still much to do, but recent public financial reports show a city on the financial rebound with significant reserves. City Council members recently prioritized economic development to continue this financial recovery.

So, when we consider library costs, let’s remember that libraries are also community resource centers that ultimately provide an economic return on investment — including increased property values, job training and enhanced social services. It’s been estimated that every dollar spent on a library results in a $5 return, and 23% more spending at nearby businesses.

The Plaza location is one of several locations to be considered if Measure C passes. Wherever a new library may finally be located, voting YES in June will say loud and clear that our community is willing to invest in and enjoy a new and improved El Cerrito.

And that optimism is well worth the cost!

Paul Fadelli was an El Cerrito City Council member from 2016 to 2024. Before being elected to the council, he was manager of state and federal legislation for BART for 11 years.