About 80 percent of transit managers who contract out say they would stick with it a second time. Elk Grove (South of Sacramento) is the latest California city to contract out transit service. And transit is just the latest target of reform: Over the past year, Elk Grove has been re-examining contracts it has with outside service providers. It selected a different company to haul residents’ trash in January, and has hired a consultant to review the city’s contract for police with the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department. After a funding dispute, Elk Grove decided to cut ties with Regional Transit, and put the contract up for bid: [Consultant Jerry Kaplan of JKaplan and Associates] said Elk Grove contributed nearly $15.7 million between 2000 and 2002 but received only about $6.8 million in bus services within the city’s boundaries, an $8.9 million gap. Four companies made offers, and Elk Grove has narrowed it down to two.