BERKELEY
Berkeley’s city clerk confirmed May 29 that the Fossil Free Berkeley Tax and Healthy Berkeley Buildings Ordinance qualify for the Nov. 5 ballot.
The measures are likely the first of their kind nationwide and are endorsed by Fossil Free Berkeley, a coalition of labor, physicians, affordable housing developers, environmentalists, architects, tenants’ advocates and faith/civil rights leaders.The more than 9,000 signatures collected were submitted the same week that Berkeley resolved fossil fuel industry-backed litigation against its groundbreaking methane gas infrastructure ban. As part of that case, a judge noted “local governments are likely free to impose carbon taxes designed to discourage such [gas] consumption.”
The Fossil Free Berkeley Special Tax on emissions from the property owners of buildings 15,000 square feet and larger would create a $23 million-per-year Just Transition Fund to pay for green-energy upgrades for homeowners, renters, restaurants and other businesses: all-electric appliances, solar, battery storage, panel upgrades, wiring, EV charging and insulation.
Methane, which leaks and is a potent greenhouse gas, heats the planet 80 times more than carbon dioxide over 20 years. When burned, it can cause asthma, cancer and other health issues. City data suggests that about 500 Berkeley buildings greater than 15,000 square feet are causing nearly a quarter of the city’s climate emissions from methane gas.
The proceeds over 25 years could cut in half the City’s estimated cost to electrify all low-rise residential buildings. Funds would be made available to all Berkeley residents, with a priority for neighborhoods with a history of environmental racism and disproportionate pollution. Building upon a recent city pilot program, work funded by the measure would be prioritized for organized labor, part of a historic “blue-green alliance” between unions and environmentalists. The measure would also expand the city’s climate department.
The Fossil Free Berkeley coalition also submitted signatures for a separate Healthy Berkeley Buildings measure requiring upgrades of municipal buildings with state-of-the-art ventilation to ensure climate resilience and protect the health of community and workers in city senior centers, libraries, and other facilities.
East Bay air is heavily polluted by refinery emissions, wildfire smoke, freeways, trains and the nearby port and airport. The measure would help prevent the spread of COVID-19, influenza and other airborne diseases.
Berkeley has received $67 million in federal funds earmarked for ventilation but has yet to upgrade its city buildings. In July, the City Council will have an opportunity to pass the measure outright and avoid needing it to go on the ballot.
Berkeley’s charter requires the council to vote to either place nontax measures on the ballot or adopt them verbatim. For more information, visit fossilfreeberkeley.org online.
— Fossil Free Berkeley
RICHMOND
Art center’s opening reception June 29 for two exhibitions
Artists living and working in Richmond, as well as incarcerated artists, will present their work at Richmond Art Center in two new exhibitions opening this summer
In the main gallery, San Quentin Prison Arts Project and Philadelphia Mural Arts will present “The View from Here,” an exhibition featuring artwork by incarcerated artists from San Quentin Rehabilitation Center and Philadelphia’s State Correctional Institution Phoenix who participated in a creative exchange over the past year.
The theme — “The View from Here” — emerged from the artists’ communications, exploring life inside prison and the realms where their minds wander beyond its gates.
A panel discussion and paint day featuring alumni and facilitators from both prison arts programs will be held on July 13 starting at 11 a.m. After a panel discussion, former program participant Eddie Ramirez will showcase his mural painting technique, and community members are invited to join in the process.
Also opening at Richmond Art Center this summer is the Richmond Open Studios Preview Exhibition. In its second year, this event will bring together nearly 50 artists in Richmond who are opening their studios to the public during the weekend of Aug. 17-18.
The Preview Exhibition offers visitors an advance showing of work by participating artists, letting them plan their self-guided tours throughout different Richmond neighborhoods in August. Richmond artists are also being hosted at ar.ti.fact Gallery, NIAD Art Center and Richmond Art Center.
An Opening Reception for “The View from Here” and the Preview Exhibition will be held from 1 o 3 p.m. June 29, and all are welcome to attend. The Richmond Art Center is at 2540 Barrett Avenue in Richmond, admission is free and gallery hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays. Visit richmondartcenter.org online for more details.
— Richmond Art Center
EL CERRITO
Proposed two-year budget released, available for review
The city of El Cerrito’s Draft Proposed Biennial Budget for Fiscal Years 2024-25 and 2025-26 has been released. This year, for the first time since before the pandemic, the city has developed a two-year budget that provides for an improved view of projections for revenues and expenditures related to programs, projects and services.
The proposed biennial budget is the product of the city’s staff team working in a collaborative manner to align resources that are consistent with the City Council’s and community priorities as determined in the newly adopted Strategic Plan, while continuing to maintain fiscal responsibility.
Over the past several months, including during the midyear budget presentation in March and in the community budget workshops, city staff have communicated to the council and the public that the current state of the economy projects a period in which city revenues remain flat but costs continue to increase.
This is happening for agencies throughout the state and is occurring due to much that is out of the city’s control, such as high inflation, high interest rates, increasing insurance costs, high gas and energy prices and a continuing form of recovery from the pandemic.
Though the next two fiscal years will be tight, the proposed budget is balanced. This was achieved using a combination of strategies including revenue enhancements, one-time savings and some expenditure reductions with the goal of providing the level of service that our community expects and without using General Fund reserves.
As long as the city faces this current external environment, we will need to continue to right-size the budget and consider additional strategies to ensure our long-term sustainability.
This will include examining our revenues by conducting a cost allocation and fee study and analyzing our organization to seek efficiencies by conducting a service delivery study. Visit el-cerrito.org/budgetprocess online for budget updates and more details.
— El Cerrito City Manager Karen Pinkos
To submit an item for our “In brief” section, please email it, at least three days before print publication, to njackson@bayareanewsgroup.com. Each item should be 90 to 180 words and include a short headline along with the name of the group or individual to credit for it.
