San Ramon's 10-Year Forecast Warns of Fiscal Cliff When Sales Tax Expires

San Ramon's first comprehensive long-term financial model delivered a sobering message Tuesday night: without voter renewal of Measure N's 1% sales tax before its April 2035 expiration, the city faces negative fund balances by FY2037 — and replacing that revenue through retail growth alone would require, in the city manager's words, "eight Costcos." The council also closed out a 30-year regional traffic fee program, approved a $2 million federal grant for smart traffic infrastructure, and heard residents push for climate polluter accountability.

• New 10-year forecast projects severe fiscal cliff when Measure N sales tax expires in 2035, with consultant warning city would face "traumatic" service cuts without renewal
• Council sunsets 30-year regional traffic fee after completing all listed freeway improvements, while keeping sub-regional collections for a $14 million Crow Canyon Road widening
• $2 million federal grant approved for nearly 7 miles of fiber optic cable connecting traffic signals to a countywide smart signal network
• Three residents urge council to back Make Polluters Pay bill; city manager says no active legislation exists to support
• First meeting under SB 707 restores remote public comment, which had been disabled since October 2023