How Piedmont is run
Who runs Piedmont, 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 Piedmont's own public documents. Every number links to its source and says which year it describes. Checked Oct 10, 2026.
Who runs Piedmont
A City Administrator appointed by the council runs the city day to day, appoints city employees and prepares the budget. The five council members, elected citywide to four-year terms, set policy and adopt the budget. After each general election the council picks one of its members as mayor, a ceremonial role with no administrative duties.
What they are paid
- At-will; the council can remove her by majority vote at any time
- Annual review each September, when the council considers merit raises
- Same other benefits as the city's non-safety officers
- Actual and necessary expenses repaid, as set by the council
- $17,000 budgeted in FY2026-27 for council travel, training and conferences
Piedmont city staff
101 full-time-equivalent positions. FY2026-27. City of Piedmont · Jun 15, 2026
The budget posts a salary schedule with the pay range for every full-time job title. We found no city list of pay by employee. We name pay only for elected officials and the city manager.
Is Piedmont 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 budget plans a $1.0 million general fund loss in FY2026-27, leaving a projected balance of $6.8 million, 17% of operating spending. The forecast shows 16% in FY2027-28 and plans to draw on the pension rate stabilization trust from FY2027-28 to FY2029-30 to stay near the target. The budget calls reliance on property-related taxes, about two of every three general fund dollars, the city's biggest fiscal risk. The council asked voters on November 3, 2026 to raise the real property transfer tax from 1.3% to 1.75%, about $1.5 million a year more, for capital needs. City of Piedmont · Jun 15, 2026
Savings
Unassigned general fund balance: $7.2M (2025-06-30). City of Piedmont · Jan 15, 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
- Property tax$20.2M · 49%
- Charges for current services$5.4M · 13%
- Real property transfer tax$4.2M · 10%
- Parcel tax (Measure F municipal services tax)$3.3M · 8%
- Other taxes and franchises (utility users, business license, sales, franchise)$3.2M · 8%
- Revenue from other agencies$3M · 7%
- Other (use of money and property, licenses and permits, other)$2M · 5%
Goes to (FY2026-27)
- Police$9.7M · 24%
- Fire and paramedic ambulance$9.4M · 23%
- Administration and communications$5.8M · 14%
- Non-departmental (insurance, retiree medical, library)$4.8M · 12%
- Public works$4.7M · 11%
- Recreation$4.3M · 10%
- Other (planning and building)$2.5M · 6%
Who provides your services
Not everything in Piedmont is run by the city. Who provides a service decides whose budget pays for it and whose election decides it.
- PoliceThe cityPiedmont Police DepartmentCity of Piedmont · Jan 15, 2026
- FireThe cityPiedmont Fire DepartmentCity of Piedmont · Jan 15, 2026
- Emergency medical services and ambulanceThe cityPiedmont Fire DepartmentOne of four fire departments in Alameda County that transport patients by ambulanceCity of Piedmont · Jun 15, 2026
- Sewer and storm drainsThe cityCity of Piedmont Public WorksCity of Piedmont · Jun 15, 2026
- Streets and sidewalksThe cityCity of Piedmont Public WorksAlameda County helps maintain street lights and traffic signalsCity of Piedmont · Jun 15, 2026
- Garbage, recycling and organicsContractorRepublic ServicesFranchise agreement managed by city Public WorksCity of Piedmont · Jun 15, 2026
- Parks and treesThe cityCity of Piedmont Public WorksCity of Piedmont · Jun 15, 2026
- Recreation, preschool and after-school careThe cityCity of Piedmont Recreation DepartmentCity of Piedmont · Jun 15, 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 | ClaytonCA | PiedmontCA | Canyon LakeCA | AndersonCA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 10,759 | 10,802 | 10,908 | 11,050 |
| Top administrator's base pay | $240,000 | $322,494 | $280,045 | $231,462 |
| Council member pay | $5,640 | No salary | Not confirmed | $3,600 |
| General fund per resident | $579 | $3,809 | $856 | $1,134 |
| Debt per resident | $90 | $2,638 | $33 | $615 |
| Unfunded pension per resident | $637 | $3,760 | $56 | $1,531 |
| City staff per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 9.4 | 3.5 | 6.5 |
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). Canyon Lake and Anderson pays another agency for police or fire, so its own staff count is lower.
What Piedmont publishes
What a resident can find online today. A "no" is something you can ask the council to publish.
- Yes: Council votes recorded member by member onlineMinutes list each member's vote by name, such as the 5-0 votes adopting the FY2026-27 budget on June 15, 2026. City of Piedmont · Jun 15, 2026
- Yes: Council pay stated in a public documentThe charter says council members receive no pay for their service; they may be repaid actual and necessary expenses. City of Piedmont
- Partly: Employee pay published City of Piedmont · Jun 15, 2026
Questions to ask your council
- Property tax ($20.2 million) and transfer tax ($4.2 million) are the two largest general fund revenues. If voters approve the rise from 1.3% to 1.75%, how will the extra $1.5 million a year be spent?
- Bonds for the new community pool make up most of the city's $28.5 million debt, and the general fund pays a $400,000 pool subsidy in FY2026-27. What is the plan if the pool still needs a subsidy after FY2028-29?
The fiscal year runs July 1 to June 30. The charter has the City Administrator submit the budget by May 15. The FY2026-27 budget letter is dated May 19, 2026, and the council held the public hearing and adopted the budget on June 15, 2026 by 5-0 votes. See who is running for council
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