How Davis is run
Who runs Davis, what it costs, and where your money goes
The city manager, council pay, the budget, your property tax bill and who provides each service, from Davis's own public documents. Every number links to its source and says which year it describes. Checked Oct 10, 2026.
Who runs Davis
A city manager hired by the council runs the city day to day. The council sets policy, adopts the budget and sets the tax rate.
What they are paid
- Up to eight months' salary and health coverage as severance if asked to resign or fired, on conditions set in the contract
- $200 a month technology and transportation allowance
- Term ends Sept. 14, 2029, then renews for four more years unless notice is given
- Eligible for city health benefits during their term
Davis city staff
383 full-time-equivalent positions. FY2026-27. Authorized positions in the adopted FY2026-27 budget: 378.75 regular full-time, 1.25 part-time and 3 special-funded. City of Davis · Jun 2, 2026
The city posts citywide salary tables by job class and employee group agreements, and links to the State Controller's pay database; we found no city-posted list of individual employees' pay. We name pay only for elected officials and the city manager.
Is Davis in the red?
Cities must pass a balanced budget, so "profit" and "deficit" mean something different here. The useful questions: does the city's everyday money (the general fund) cover its everyday costs, how much does it keep in savings compared with its own target, and how big are its pension and debt bills.
The city's own outlook
The city's June 2026 long-term forecast calls its financial position weak, but not critical. The FY2026-27 budget projects general fund revenue of $95.1 million against $97.1 million of spending and transfers, leaving an available reserve of $13.3 million, 13.7%, below the 15% policy. Staff say the reserve will keep declining without more revenue, lower spending or both. City of Davis · Jun 2, 2026
Savings against the city's own target
Unassigned general fund balance: $18.9M (2023-06-30). The city's own target: Keep a general fund reserve equal to 15% of general fund spending, with up to five points of it for special capital projects. The FY2026-27 budget projects an available reserve of $13.3 million, 13.7%, which staff say is below the council's policy level. City of Davis · Feb 20, 2026
Why we skip the "budgeted deficit": many cities plan to dip into savings, then spend less than planned. The audited result tells you what really happened.
Where the money comes from and goes
The general fund only: the city's everyday money for FY2026-27.
Comes from
- Sales and transactions taxes$32.5M · 34%
- Property tax (including in-lieu vehicle license fees)$32M · 34%
- Program revenues (fees and charges)$15.7M · 16%
- Municipal services tax$3.9M · 4%
- Hotel tax (transient occupancy tax)$3.1M · 3%
- Franchise fees$2.3M · 2%
- Business license tax$2.3M · 2%
- Other (investment income, cannabis tax, property transfer tax)$3.4M · 4%
Goes to (FY2026-27)
- Police$30.7M · 32%
- Fire$20.5M · 21%
- Parks and community services$17.8M · 18%
- Public works utilities and operations$8.9M · 9%
- Public works engineering and transportation$5.9M · 6%
- City manager's office$4.6M · 5%
- Transfers to capital projects$3M · 3%
- Other (finance, community development, social services, HR, council, attorney; net of a $3.2M non-departmental reduction)$5.6M · 6%
Your property tax bill: who gets it
California caps the base property tax at 1% of assessed value; voter-approved bond rates are added on top. The city itself levies no voter-approved rate. Of the 1% base, about 21 cents of each dollar goes to the city's general fund.
0¢
of each property-tax dollar goes to the city of Davis
- Base levy (Prop. 13 1% cap), split among the county, city, schools and other agencies1 · 92%
- Davis Joint Unified School District 2018 bonds0.06 · 6%
- Los Rios Community College District 2002 bonds0.0226 · 2%
- Davis Joint Unified School District 2000 bonds0.008 · <1%
- Total (% of assessed value)1.0906
FY2022-23 rates for a home in Davis (Yolo County, tax rate area 001-000). City of Davis · Feb 20, 2026
Who provides your services
Not everything in Davis is run by the city. Who provides a service decides whose budget pays for it and whose election decides it.
- PoliceThe cityDavis Police DepartmentCity of Davis · Feb 20, 2026
- Fire protectionThe cityDavis Fire DepartmentCity of Davis · Feb 20, 2026
- WaterThe cityCity of DavisDavis and Woodland formed the Woodland-Davis Clean Water Agency in 2009 for a shared surface water project; Davis holds 44.4% of its treatment and distribution capacity rights.City of Davis · Feb 20, 2026
- WastewaterThe cityCity of DavisCity of Davis · Feb 20, 2026
- Storm drainageThe cityCity of DavisCity of Davis · Feb 20, 2026
- Trash, recycling, organics and street sweepingContractorRecology Davis (exclusive city franchise)City of Davis
- Parks, recreation and street maintenanceThe cityCity of DavisCity of Davis · Jun 2, 2026
- LibraryThe countyYolo County Library, Mary L. Stephens Davis BranchYolo County Library
Compared with similar cities
The cities in this state closest in population that we cover. Read it for scale, not as a ranking: cities provide different services.
| Per city | DavisCA | BrentwoodCA | Yorba LindaCA | Union CityCA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 66,002 | 66,070 | 66,190 | 66,665 |
| Top administrator's base pay | $288,453 | $304,515 | $315,000 | $352,873 |
| Council member pay | $16,392 | $13,807 | $6,000 | $25,500 |
| General fund per resident | $1,471 | $1,285 | $761 | $1,336 |
| Debt per resident | $1,388 | $2,201 | $183 | $1,590 |
| Unfunded pension per resident | $2,433 | $779 | $301 | $1,657 |
| City staff per 1,000 residents | 5.8 | 5.3 | 2.6 | 4.1 |
Figures as shown in each city's section, divided by its population. Years differ by state, and pension figures are measured differently in each state (each city page says how). Brentwood and Yorba Linda and Union City pays another agency for police or fire, so its own staff count is lower.
What Davis publishes
What a resident can find online today. A "no" is something you can ask the council to publish.
- No: Audited financial report filed on timeThe newest audited report posted covers the year ended June 30, 2023 and is dated Feb. 20, 2026; FY2024 and FY2025 reports were not posted. City of Davis
- Partly: Adopted budget posted online City of Davis
- Yes: City manager's contract findable onlineCity Manager Daryel Dunston's August 2025 employment agreement is attached to the Aug. 19, 2025 council agenda. City of Davis · Aug 19, 2025
- Yes: Council votes recorded member by member onlineMinutes list AYES, NOES and ABSENT by member name, e.g. the Aug. 19, 2025 meeting. City of Davis · Aug 19, 2025
- Yes: Council pay stated in a public documentThe council-adopted citywide salary table lists council member pay at $1,366.01 a month. City of Davis · Jul 7, 2026
- Partly: Employee pay published City of Davis
Questions to ask your council
- The FY2026-27 budget projects a general fund reserve of $13.3 million, 13.7% of spending, below the council's 15% policy. What would it take to reach 15%, and by when?
- The latest audited report covers the year ended June 30, 2023 and is dated February 20, 2026. When will the FY2023-24 and FY2024-25 audits be finished?
- CalPERS reports $160.6 million of unfunded pension liability for the city's two plans at June 30, 2025. How does the long-range forecast plan to pay it down?
- Long-term debt was $91.6 million at June 30, 2023, almost all of it in business-type activities. How will utility rates cover the payments?
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