How Parlier is run
Who runs Parlier, 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 Parlier's own public documents. Every number links to its source and says which year it describes. Checked Oct 10, 2026.
Who runs Parlier
A city manager appointed by the council runs the city day to day. The five-member council, a mayor elected citywide plus four members elected by district, sets policy and oversees the city manager and city attorney. The city clerk and treasurer are also elected.
What they are paid
Parlier city staff
87 full-time-equivalent positions, including Police, animal control and code enforcement 25, Public works 17, Parlier Academy child care 16, Finance 11, Administration 9. FY2026-27. City of Parlier · Jun 18, 2026
The 86.5 authorized positions include the mayor, four council members, the elected clerk and treasurer, and four lifeguards. The budget lists positions but not pay ranges. We name pay only for elected officials and the city manager.
Is Parlier 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 manager says revenue grows about 1 to 2% a year while spending grows faster, driven by pensions, labor costs and inflation. He says the city has historically operated with limited reserves and aims to build them. The FY2026-27 general fund budget plans $7.02 million of spending against $6.14 million of revenue. City of Parlier · Jun 18, 2026
Savings
Unassigned general fund balance: $605,802 (2023-06-30). City of Parlier · Jan 15, 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
- Vehicle license fee (VLF) money from the state$1.9M · 27%
- Measure S local sales tax$1.1M · 16%
- Spending above budgeted revenue (budget gap)$871,996 · 12%
- Sales tax (Bradley-Burns)$755,825 · 11%
- Property taxes, including successor agency property tax$671,800 · 10%
- Cannabis revenue$500,000 · 7%
- Charges for services, mostly police services$464,900 · 7%
- Franchise fees (electric, gas, cable)$202,500 · 3%
- Other$548,810 · 8%
Goes to (FY2026-27)
- Police$3.4M · 48%
- Administration$969,603 · 14%
- Fire protection (CAL FIRE)$865,946 · 12%
- Community development$670,760 · 10%
- Parks$199,815 · 3%
- Community center$186,210 · 3%
- Other (senior center, pool, code enforcement, animal control, council and more)$767,037 · 11%
Who provides your services
Not everything in Parlier is run by the city. Who provides a service decides whose budget pays for it and whose election decides it.
- PoliceThe cityParlier Police DepartmentCity of Parlier · Jun 18, 2026
- WaterThe cityCity Finance and Public Works departmentsCity of Parlier · Jun 18, 2026
- Sewer and wastewater treatmentThe cityCity Public Works DepartmentCity of Parlier · Jun 18, 2026
- StreetsThe cityCity Public Works DepartmentCity of Parlier · Jun 18, 2026
- ParksThe cityCity Public Works DepartmentCity of Parlier · Jun 18, 2026
- Animal control and shelterThe cityCity (Police Department budget)City of Parlier · Jun 18, 2026
- Senior center and mealsThe cityCity, with the Fresno-Madera Area Agency on AgingCity of Parlier · Jun 18, 2026
- Child care and preschoolThe cityCity-run Parlier Academy of ExcellenceState-licensed and funded for 87 children.City of Parlier · Jun 18, 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 | LivingstonCA | Red BluffCA | ParlierCA | Pacific GroveCA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 14,402 | 14,422 | 14,658 | 14,894 |
| Top administrator's base pay | Not confirmed | $196,875 | Not confirmed | $266,469 |
| Council member pay | $3,600 | $11,400 | Not confirmed | $5,040 |
| General fund per resident | $696 | $1,488 | $479 | $2,418 |
| Debt per resident | $834 | $1,214 | $185 | $770 |
| Unfunded pension per resident | $650 | $470 | $198 | $3,587 |
| City staff per 1,000 residents | — | 11.0 | 5.9 | 7.2 |
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). Livingston pays another agency for police or fire, so its own staff count is lower.
What Parlier 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 audit posted is for the year ended June 30, 2023, dated January 15, 2025. No FY2023-24 or FY2024-25 audit is posted. City of Parlier
- Yes: Council votes recorded member by member onlineMinutes, posted inside later agenda packets, list ayes, noes, abstentions and absences by name. City of Parlier · Jul 17, 2025
- No: Employee pay publishedThe budget lists authorized positions by title but not pay. We found no city salary schedule on the website. City of Parlier · Jun 18, 2026
Questions to ask your council
- The FY2026-27 general fund budget plans $7,015,831 of spending against $6,143,835 of revenue. How will the $871,996 gap be covered?
- The newest audit posted covers the year ended June 30, 2023. When will the FY2023-24 and FY2024-25 audits be finished and posted?
- The general fund had $605,802 unassigned at June 30, 2023, and the city has no reserve policy. What reserve target will the council set?
- Police cost $3,356,460 of the $7,015,831 general fund budget in FY2026-27. How will that be paid for as costs rise faster than revenue?
Help decide what comes next
What do you want to know about Parlier next?
One tap, no sign-in. We count answers; we never show who chose what.
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?
See something wrong? Report an error
Something wrong or missing? Tell us what and where, with a link to a source if you have one. Reports feed the next verification run.