How Hollister is run
Who runs Hollister, 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 Hollister's own public documents. Every number links to its source and says which year it describes. Checked Oct 10, 2026.
Who runs Hollister
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
- Six months' severance if fired without cause, plus six months of health and disability benefits
- Extra retirement contribution of up to $2,200 a year to a 457 or 401(k) account
- Executive management benefits, including CalPERS pension and medical, dental and vision plans
- Vacation of 10 days a year in the first two years, rising to 25 days from the 10th year
- Four-year term from Feb. 2, 2026, renewing each year after that
Hollister city staff
201 full-time-equivalent positions. FY2026-27. Preliminary position list in the FY2026-27 budget. The city's target is 174 positions. City of Hollister · Jun 22, 2026
The city posts salary schedules by bargaining unit with pay ranges for each job title. We did not find a city list of pay by employee. Named pay here is only for elected officials and the city manager. We name pay only for elected officials and the city manager.
Is Hollister 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 FY2026-27 general fund budget plans $50.2M of revenue against $56.6M of spending, and the council directed that the general fund reserve could be reduced to zero. On Oct. 2, 2026, staff reported the general fund overdrawn by $2M and asked the council to declare a financial emergency and approve an $11M short-term loan from impact fee funds so the city could make payroll. Staff set a goal of rebuilding general fund reserves by FY2028-29. City of Hollister · Oct 2, 2026
Savings against the city's own target
Unassigned general fund balance: $14.2M (2022-06-30). The city's own target: Keep a general fund balance of at least 20% of operating spending. For FY2026-27 the council allowed the general fund reserve to fall to zero. City of Hollister · Jan 5, 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
- Charges for services (including staff costs billed to other city funds)$10.8M · 19%
- Measure W sales tax$9.7M · 17%
- Property taxes (including property tax in lieu of vehicle license fees)$8.1M · 14%
- Sales tax (including public safety sales tax)$7.5M · 13%
- Intergovernmental (including $4.1M from fire service contracts)$6.8M · 12%
- Gap covered by an interfund loan$6.4M · 11%
- Licenses and permits$4.2M · 7%
- Other (hotel tax, franchise fees, fines, interest and other)$3.1M · 6%
Goes to (FY2026-27)
- Salaries and benefits$31.6M · 56%
- Contracts (including 911 dispatch, legal and network services)$11.9M · 21%
- Services and supplies$9.7M · 17%
- Other expenses (pension unfunded-liability payments and transfers out)$3.1M · 5%
- Other (capital equipment)$297,900 · 1%
Who provides your services
Not everything in Hollister is run by the city. Who provides a service decides whose budget pays for it and whose election decides it.
- PoliceThe cityHollister Police DepartmentCity of Hollister · Oct 25, 2024
- FireThe cityHollister Fire DepartmentAlso serves unincorporated San Benito County and San Juan Bautista under contractCity of Hollister · Oct 25, 2024
- Emergency medical responseThe cityHollister Fire DepartmentCity of Hollister · Oct 25, 2024
- WaterThe cityCity of Hollister water utilityCity of Hollister · Jan 5, 2026
- SewerThe cityCity of Hollister sewer utilityCity of Hollister · Jan 5, 2026
- Street sweepingThe cityCity of HollisterCity of Hollister · Jan 5, 2026
- StreetsThe cityCity of HollisterCity of Hollister · Jan 5, 2026
- Parks and recreationThe cityCity of Hollister Parks & RecreationCity of Hollister · Oct 25, 2024
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 | CampbellCA | Palm SpringsCA | Rohnert ParkCA | HollisterCA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 43,195 | 43,893 | 44,191 | 44,233 |
| Top administrator's base pay | $358,883 | $325,000 | $335,466 | $265,000 |
| Council member pay | $15,300 | $41,604 | $15,300 | Not confirmed |
| General fund per resident | $1,713 | $4,004 | $1,309 | $1,279 |
| Debt per resident | $1,175 | $3,386 | $160 | $1,410 |
| Unfunded pension per resident | $1,677 | $3,906 | $936 | $965 |
| City staff per 1,000 residents | 4.3 | 15.0 | 5.5 | 4.5 |
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). Campbell pays another agency for police or fire, so its own staff count is lower.
What Hollister 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 FY2021-22 audit was accepted Jan. 5, 2026. No audit has been finished for FY2022-23 or later. City of Hollister · Jan 5, 2026
- Partly: Adopted budget posted onlineThe Financial Reports page posts adopted budgets through FY2025-26. The FY2026-27 budget report is in the June 22, 2026 council packet. City of Hollister
- Yes: City manager's contract findable onlineThe January 2026 employment agreement is attached to the Jan. 5, 2026 council agenda in the city's meeting portal. City of Hollister · Jan 5, 2026
- Yes: Council votes recorded member by member online City of Hollister · Jan 5, 2026
- Yes: Meeting videos and minutes onlineAgendas, minutes and meeting video are posted on the city's meeting portal. City of Hollister
- Partly: Council pay stated in a public documentA May 2022 staff report states a $400 monthly council salary and proposes raising it to $800. City of Hollister · May 16, 2022
- Yes: Employee pay published City of Hollister · Jan 5, 2026
Questions to ask your council
- The FY2026-27 general fund budget plans $56.6 million of spending and relies on an interfund loan to cover a shortfall. What cuts or new revenue would close that gap without more borrowing?
- The latest audited financial report covers FY2021-22. When will the audits for FY2022-23 and later years be finished?
- City policy calls for a general fund reserve of at least 20% of operating spending, but the council let it fall to zero for FY2026-27. What steps will rebuild it by FY2028-29?
- CalPERS reported the city's three pension plans $42.7 million short at June 30, 2025. How will the city keep up with those payments while the general fund has no reserve?
The fiscal year runs July 1 to June 30. The council set a budget framework on April 20, 2026, gave new direction on June 8, opened the budget hearing on June 15, and continued it on June 22, 2026, when the FY2026-27 budget came up for adoption. See who is running for council
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