How Mountain View is run
Who runs Mountain View, 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 Mountain View's own public documents. Every number links to its source and says which year it describes. Checked Oct 10, 2026.
Who runs Mountain View
A city manager hired by the council runs the city day to day. The seven-member council, including the mayor, sets policy, adopts the budget and also appoints the city attorney and city clerk. The city runs its own police and fire departments, an ambulance service, and its water, sewer and trash utilities.
What they are paid
- CalPERS pension with the same employee cost share as department heads
- Six months' severance if the employment agreement ends
- 23 vacation days a year, rising to 24 after four years (2020 terms)
- $50 a month cell phone allowance (2020 terms)
Mountain View city staff
715 full-time-equivalent positions, including Police 145, Fire 90. FY2026-27. Regular positions in the adopted budget, including the seven council seats. With 10.50 limited-period positions, the budget funds 725.25 positions. City of Mountain View · Jul 1, 2026
The city posts its salary plan with pay ranges for every job title, plus the pay of the city manager, city clerk, city attorney and council members. We name pay only for elected officials and the city manager.
Is Mountain View 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 five-year forecast projects a $107,000 operating balance in FY2026-27, then deficits of $376,000 in FY2027-28, $2.5 million in FY2028-29 and $773,000 in FY2029-30, and a $1.5 million surplus in FY2030-31. The city says balancing future budgets may require pausing new positions and programs. City of Mountain View · Jul 1, 2026
Savings against the city's own target
Unassigned general fund balance: $162M (2025-06-30). The city's own target: Keep a General Fund Reserve of 20% to 25% of general operating fund budgeted spending, net of budget savings. Other reserves include a capital improvement reserve with a $5 million goal. City of Mountain View · Dec 9, 2025
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
- Property taxes$84.2M · 41%
- Use of money and property (leases, interest)$33.1M · 16%
- Other local taxes (hotel, business license, utility users)$26.7M · 13%
- Interfund revenues and transfers$25.9M · 12%
- Sales tax$23.5M · 11%
- Licenses, permits, franchise fees and fines$7.2M · 3%
- Other (charges for services, intergovernmental, miscellaneous)$6.9M · 3%
Goes to (FY2026-27)
- Police$59.2M · 29%
- Fire$40.7M · 20%
- Community services (parks, recreation, performing arts)$26.9M · 13%
- Public works$20M · 10%
- Non-departmental$19.8M · 10%
- Information technology$9.4M · 5%
- Other departments (finance, library, city manager, attorney, HR, planning, clerk, housing, council), minus $10.3M expected vacancy savings$31.5M · 15%
Who provides your services
Not everything in Mountain View is run by the city. Who provides a service decides whose budget pays for it and whose election decides it.
- PoliceThe cityMountain View Police DepartmentCity of Mountain View · Dec 9, 2025
- FireThe cityMountain View Fire DepartmentCity of Mountain View · Dec 9, 2025
- EMS / ambulanceThe cityMountain View Fire DepartmentThe city launched its own ambulance service, which it says recovers its full cost.City of Mountain View · Jul 1, 2026
- 911 dispatchThe cityMountain View Police Department Emergency Communications CenterCity of Mountain View · Jul 1, 2026
- WaterThe cityCity of Mountain ViewBuys wholesale water from the SFPUC and the Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD).City of Mountain View · Jul 1, 2026
- SewerThe cityCity of Mountain View (collection); treatment at the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control PlantCity of Mountain View · Dec 9, 2025
- Trash and recyclingContractorRecology, under contract with the cityCity of Mountain View · Jul 1, 2026
- LibraryThe cityMountain View Public LibraryCity of Mountain View · Jul 1, 2026
- ParksThe cityCity of Mountain View Community Services DepartmentCity of Mountain View · Jul 1, 2026
- City streetsThe cityCity of Mountain View Public Works DepartmentCity of Mountain View · Jul 1, 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 | Rancho CordovaCA | San LeandroCA | Mountain ViewCA | Mission ViejoCA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 87,312 | 87,431 | 88,533 | 90,401 |
| Top administrator's base pay | $318,000 | $373,118 | $452,777 | $317,444 |
| Council member pay | $6,000 | $22,800 | $16,930 | $12,000 |
| General fund per resident | $961 | $1,819 | $2,343 | $917 |
| Debt per resident | $133 | $736 | $1,077 | $393 |
| Unfunded pension per resident | $77 | $2,644 | $2,676 | $255 |
| City staff per 1,000 residents | 1.6 | 5.2 | 8.1 | 1.7 |
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). Rancho Cordova and Mission Viejo pays another agency for police or fire, so its own staff count is lower.
What Mountain View publishes
What a resident can find online today. A "no" is something you can ask the council to publish.
- Yes: Adopted budget posted online City of Mountain View · Jul 1, 2026
- Yes: Council votes recorded member by member onlineMinutes name each yes and no vote, e.g. a 5-2 vote on June 23, 2026 with McAlister and Ramirez voting no. City of Mountain View · Jun 23, 2026
- Yes: Meeting videos and minutes onlineAgendas, minutes and videos are on the city's Legistar site, and meetings are also posted on YouTube. City of Mountain View
- Yes: Council pay stated in a public documentThe salary plan lists biweekly pay of $651.14 for council members and $813.96 for the mayor. City of Mountain View · Sep 22, 2026
- Yes: Employee pay published City of Mountain View · Sep 22, 2026
Questions to ask your council
- The five-year forecast shows general operating fund deficits from FY2027-28 to FY2029-30, up to $2.5 million a year. Which new positions or programs would the council pause first?
- The FY2026-27 budget counts on $10.3 million of savings from vacant jobs. What happens if fewer jobs stay open than planned?
- Unassigned general fund balance was $162.1 million on June 30, 2025. How much of it does the council plan to use for one-time costs or to pay down the $236.9 million unfunded pension liability?
- Staff is exploring a Section 115 pension trust. When will the council decide whether to set one up?
The fiscal year starts July 1. The council reviewed a preliminary recommended budget on April 14, 2026. The city manager released the recommended budget on May 29, the council held a public hearing on June 9, and it adopted the FY2026-27 budget on June 23, 2026. See who is running for council
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