How Folsom is run
Who runs Folsom, 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 Folsom's own public documents. Every number links to its source and says which year it describes. Checked Oct 10, 2026.
Who runs Folsom
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
- $500 a month car allowance, plus $200 a month for expenses and $100 a month for technology
- Annual leave accrues at 24 hours a month, up to 320 hours
- Four-year term from March 10, 2025, with an option to extend four more years
Folsom city staff
498 full-time-equivalent positions. FY2026-27. Full-time and permanent part-time positions across all funds in the proposed budget, including 2 new positions. City of Folsom · Jun 9, 2026
The budget lists positions by department but not individual pay. Named pay is shown here only for the city manager and council. We name pay only for elected officials and the city manager.
Is Folsom 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 five-year forecast (FY2026-27 to FY2030-31) projects revenue growing about 3.9% a year and spending about 4.8% a year, with narrow margins. In June 2025 staff said the city cannot continue to provide its current general fund services. For FY2026-27 the proposed general fund spending of $124.3 million is slightly below estimated revenue of $124.4 million, including transfers. City of Folsom · Feb 13, 2026
Savings against the city's own target
Unassigned general fund balance: $25.3M (2025-06-30). The city's own target: Keep unassigned general fund balance at 20% of expenditures; any amount above 20% moves to the Capital Facility Rehab Fund after the annual audit. The city meets this target. City of Folsom · Feb 13, 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 FY2024-25.
Comes from
- Property tax$44M · 36%
- Sales and use tax$26.9M · 22%
- Charges for current services$20.8M · 17%
- Vehicle license fees$10.4M · 8%
- Transfers in from other funds$5.3M · 4%
- Licenses and permits$3.9M · 3%
- Intergovernmental$3.4M · 3%
- Other (hotel tax, investment income, transfer tax, other taxes, fines, miscellaneous)$8.1M · 7%
Goes to (FY2024-25)
- Public safety (police and fire)$59.1M · 48%
- General government$20.7M · 17%
- Culture and recreation$19.6M · 16%
- Public ways and facilities$8.4M · 7%
- Community services$7.9M · 6%
- Capital outlay$6.6M · 5%
- Other (debt service)$842,292 · 1%
Who provides your services
Not everything in Folsom is run by the city. Who provides a service decides whose budget pays for it and whose election decides it.
- PoliceThe cityFolsom Police DepartmentCity of Folsom · Feb 13, 2026
- FireThe cityFolsom Fire DepartmentCity of Folsom · Feb 13, 2026
- Emergency medical responseThe cityFolsom Fire DepartmentCity of Folsom · Feb 13, 2026
- WaterThe cityCity of FolsomCity of Folsom · Feb 13, 2026
- SewerThe cityCity of FolsomCity of Folsom · Feb 13, 2026
- LibraryThe cityFolsom Public Library (city)City of Folsom · Feb 13, 2026
- Parks and recreationThe cityCity of FolsomIncludes a zoo sanctuary and aquatic centerCity of Folsom · Feb 13, 2026
- StreetsThe cityCity of Folsom Public WorksCity of Folsom · Feb 13, 2026
- Public transitSeparate districtSacramento Regional Transit DistrictTook over the city's transit operations in 2019City of Folsom · Feb 13, 2026
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 | ReddingCA | FolsomCA | ChinoCA | MantecaCA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 94,294 | 95,680 | 95,946 | 96,511 |
| Top administrator's base pay | Not confirmed | $332,072 | $348,160 | $338,113 |
| Council member pay | Not confirmed | $7,200 | $33,555 | $22,800 |
| General fund per resident | $1,218 | $1,289 | $1,569 | $879 |
| Debt per resident | $2,053 | $2,188 | $208 | $519 |
| Unfunded pension per resident | $3,777 | $2,077 | $585 | $1,426 |
| City staff per 1,000 residents | 10.1 | 5.2 | 4.7 | 4.8 |
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).
What Folsom publishes
What a resident can find online today. A "no" is something you can ask the council to publish.
- Yes: City manager's contract findable online City of Folsom · Jan 14, 2025
- Yes: Council votes recorded member by member online City of Folsom · Jun 9, 2026
- Yes: Council pay stated in a public document City of Folsom · Mar 24, 2026
- Partly: Employee pay published City of Folsom · Jun 9, 2026
Questions to ask your council
- In FY2024-25 general fund spending exceeded revenue by $5.5 million and the fund balance fell $2.7 million. The forecast has spending growing 4.8% a year against revenue growth of 3.9%. Which services will change to close that gap?
- Unassigned reserves were $25.3 million on June 30, 2025, right at the 20% policy level. How will the city keep that level if a future year ends in a deficit?
- The city's two CalPERS plans had a $198.8 million net pension liability as of June 30, 2024. Is the city considering paying it down faster than CalPERS requires?
- Council pay rises from $7,200 to $22,800 a year on December 7, 2026. How will the increase be paid for while the forecast shows spending growing faster than revenue?
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Every number here was checked by hand against the linked document. Cities publish on different schedules, so years differ between sections; each figure says which year it describes. Spotted something wrong or out of date?
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