Transit Cuts Loom for San Ramon as Council OKs Axon, Housing Bonds
City Council • San RamonOctober 13, 2026
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San Ramon's bus service is heading for a squeeze. County Connection's general manager told the City Council on Oct. 13, 2026, that a $6.5M deficit could eliminate three local express routes. In the same meeting, the council voted 5-0 three times to lock in long-term commitments: a 10-year police technology contract, bond approval for a 131-unit affordable housing project and a new Bicycle Master Plan.
- County Connection plans to cut 22% of service, ending express routes 92X, 95X and 97X by the end of FY28.
- $4.1M, 10-year Axon contract approved 5-0, with $2.275M in stated savings.
- Up to $45M in tax-exempt bonds cleared for the 131-unit Bella Village project, with no city liability.
- Bicycle Master Plan adopted 5-0, shifting arterials toward separated bike lanes.
- Council majority backs agendizing park shade for seniors, despite the mayor's preference for commission review first.
County Connection's Deficit Puts San Ramon Routes on the Block
Why it matters: San Ramon riders take about 309,000 trips a year on 12 County Connection routes, including 27,000 trips by students. A board-adopted plan would eliminate express routes 92X, 95X and 97X and cut routes 21, 35 and 335 to hourly service by the end of FY28 unless new revenue appears.
The basics: County Connection is a joint powers authority of 10 cities and unincorporated central Contra Costa County.
Where things stand: Ridership is the good news. General Manager Bill Churchill said system ridership is at about 97% of pre-pandemic levels: 81% on weekdays, 118% on Saturdays, 129% on Sundays and 128% among youth. Summer Youth Ride Free grew 1,600% in 2025 and another 4.5% this year.
So why the hole? Councilmember Robert Jweinat asked directly: "Just curious, if ridership is going up, why the deficit?"
Churchill's answer was structural. "County Connection, the fare only represents about 9% of our total revenue. We are actually funded to the tune of about 84% through sales tax," he said. Sales tax grows about 2.8% a year, while expenses rise 3.1% to 3.2%. The agency already runs 34% less service than it did in 2008.
Outside help is shrinking too. Churchill pointed to cuts in federal and state grants, including the California Air Resources Board's Low Carbon Transit Operations Program. "More money is being pulled out of our system, not coming in," he said.
The other side: Council members asked about the roughly $12 cost per trip, perceptions of empty buses and whether consolidating agencies would help. Churchill said a State Auditor consolidation review produced no findings and no savings. On expanding GO San Ramon, the city's Uber and Lyft subsidy program, he said, "I don't see a path right now."
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: No vote was taken. The biggest losers would be express commuters, including those served by the Bishop Ranch partnership. Paratransit riders are also exposed: Churchill described paratransit as an unfunded ADA mandate that would shrink under the plan. Vice Mayor Marisol Rubio made the stakes personal: "my daughter is a rider of paratransit."
What's next: The San Ramon Transit Center is moving next to City Center. Whether the cuts take effect depends on finding new revenue before the end of FY28.
Axon Deal Locks In Police Tech Through 2035
Why it matters: The council committed the Police Department's body cameras, in-car cameras, Tasers, evidence software, interview rooms and drones to a single vendor through November 2035.
Where things stand: The contract runs from November 2026 to November 2035 and costs $3,908,653.20. A 5% contingency of $195,000, which is not owed to Axon, brings the not-to-exceed total to $4,104,085.86.
Police Captain John Cranford said the deal folds three separate 2021–2023 contracts into one, upgrades officers to the Taser 10 and refreshes cameras. "We did not ask for any additional products or services in this contract that we don't currently already use with Axon," he said.
The bundle is cited as saving $2.275M and capping annual spending at $460,000. Cranford said costs rose slightly from the prior contracts because of inflation. "It's going to save us over $2 million in the long run by going that direction," said Mayor Mark Armstrong.
The other side: Data access drew the sharpest questions. Councilmember Sridhar Verose pressed the point: "So they do have access to our data." Cranford first said he would check. He later returned with an answer: "They actually do not have access to our data at all. It is only us."
Council members also asked about retention schedules, drone policy oversight, defective equipment and the Flock license plate camera system. Cranford said Flock is not part of this contract.
One public commenter said the staff report omitted 1-, 3- and 5-year alternatives and estimated the real cost at $8M.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Verose moved the resolution and Rubio seconded. Resolution 2026-121 passed (For: 5, Against: 0, Absent: 0). The council secured a commitment from Cranford: "I don't see why we couldn't provide you with a review on how we use the technology."
What's next: Police will provide the council with an annual review of how the technology is used.
Bella Village Bonds Clear, at No Cost to the City
Why it matters: The council's sign-off keeps financing on track for 131 apartments at 2233 San Ramon Valley Boulevard ahead of a late-November financing deadline. The project is fully affordable apart from one manager's unit.
The basics: This was a TEFRA hearing, a federally required step that lets the host city approve tax-exempt bonds issued by another agency. In this case, the issuer is the California Municipal Finance Authority (CMFA).
Where things stand: Armstrong opened by narrowing the question. "This item does not authorize the issuance of bonds or any manner of financial support for the project by the city of San Ramon," he said.
The zoning administrator approved the project on May 7, 2024, under by-right state streamlining. The state's CDLAC awarded the bond allocation in May. The developer's representative gave the unit mix as follows:
- 23 units at 30% of area median income
- 27 units at 50%
- 34 units at 60%
- 46 units at 80%
Anthony Stubbs of CMFA said the debt is solely the borrower's responsibility, with no general fund or credit rating impact. He added that "the CMFA shares 25% of our issuance fee with the host municipality." That share comes to roughly $16,000 for San Ramon, and another 25% goes to charities.
The other side: Rubio tested what a "no" vote would mean, noting that "61% of the units that we were assigned of that 5,111 are state-mandated." A city staff member, Lauren, answered that rejection "does affect our ability to implement our housing element as approved."
One public commenter urged rejection and made claims about the borrower that staff and CMFA statements did not support. The city also received four written comments.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: "This is not going to impact general fund for the city or credit rating or any other financial entity," Verose said. Rubio moved and Verose seconded. Resolution 2026-122 passed (For: 5, Against: 0, Absent: 0). Low-income families and the city's housing element compliance stand to benefit most.
What's next: Groundbreaking is expected in December, followed by 18 months to two years of construction. Resident services would be set about six months before leasing, and the city must approve the marketing plan.
Bike Plan Bets on Separated Lanes
Why it matters: The update refreshes the city's 2018 plan, applies current federal design guidance to San Ramon's busy arterials and positions the city for grant funding.
Where things stand: Terrence Zhao, senior transportation planner at Fehr and Peers, explained the Federal Highway Administration guidance behind the plan. "Anything above 35 miles an hour on the speed side or 7,000 vehicles per day on the volume side pretty much warrants you to consider a separated bike lane or a shared use path," he said. That threshold describes most of San Ramon's arterials.
Near-term phasing focuses on two steps:
- Restriping Class 2 bike lanes into buffered Class 2B lanes
- Adding vertical barriers to existing 2B lanes
Costlier corridors, including Bollinger and Alcosta, need further study and funding. The plan adds no new Class 3 corridors, which are folded into traffic calming. It also adds bike lockers and expanded safety classes. More than 250 people responded online during outreach.
Council members asked about bollard durability, school travel, e-bike enforcement and green paint. Staff said about 3.6% of crashes involve bicycles. Transportation Division Manager Chris Weeks set a goal: "we are currently bronze, and I'd like to move us up to silver," referring to the city's Bicycle Friendly Community rating.
The other side: One public commenter opposed the plan, questioned consultant fees and demanded conflict-of-interest disclosures. One written comment was received.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Rubio moved adoption. Resolution 2026-123 passed (For: 5, Against: 0, Absent: 0). Cyclists and students gain a roadmap for safer routes. Drivers on arterials may see changes to lane configurations as projects get funded.
Seniors' Shade Request Heads Back to Council
Rubio asked the council to prioritize "shade structures and seating with back supports for Valley View, Mosaic Park, and Arlington Park." She said seniors meet at these parks several times a week and that the request had gone without updates since last year.
The City Manager said new benches have back support but warned the existing program has limits. "We do have a program to install more shade structures at parks, but it does not include retrofitting existing structures," the City Manager said. Any action before June would require new funding.
Armstrong preferred another route: "I just think that's initially the role of our Parks and Community Services Commission before it comes direct to council." Even so, three members supported agendizing the item. Staff will return with costs and trade-offs against scheduled park projects.
- Consent calendar: Approved 5-0 (moved by Verose, seconded by Rubio). No member pulled item 5.5, which a speaker said concerned city manager and city attorney contracts.
- Domestic Violence Awareness Month: The council proclaimed October 2026 Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention Month. Shailaja Dixit, executive director of Narika, asked the city to attend the Oct. 24 awareness walk, consider "maybe a town hall next October dedicated to having this conversation" and provide funding.
- Storm prep and crosswalks: Staff outlined sandbag locations and leaf-vacuum service and asked residents not to blow leaves into storm drains. On crosswalk right-of-way enforcement, Jweinat said, "I want a zero tolerance on that."
- AI policy: Staff said an AI policy is being finalized within the city's IT strategic plan. Public records requests through early October already exceed all of last year.
The council next meets Oct. 27, 2026.