AC Transit Warns 16% Service Cuts Loom as El Cerrito Tackles Cameras, Fire Safety and District Maps

The El Cerrito City Council's July 21 meeting was dominated by a sobering presentation from AC Transit, which laid bare a $200 million four-year deficit that could slash bus service across the East Bay and cut 300 jobs — unless voters approve a regional transit measure this November. The council also wrestled with how to get deactivated surveillance cameras physically removed, debated why the fire department can't go electric, and finalized the district election map that will reshape city politics starting in 2028.

• AC Transit faces $200M deficit; contingency plan would cut service 16% and lay off 300 workers if November ballot measure fails
• Council presses Flock to physically remove deactivated license plate reader cameras as residents raise data privacy concerns
• Fire department rejects EV option for $100,000 command vehicle, citing disaster deployment realities
• District election ordinance adopted on consent, but critics warn scheduling renter districts for midterms could suppress turnout by 20 points
• Council softens fire hazard abatement letters after members flag cultural barriers and intimidating tone

Why it matters: El Cerrito's already thin bus network — a lifeline for seniors, students and low-income riders — could shrink further if a regional transit ballot measure fails this fall, potentially stranding entire neighborhoods.