How Pomona is run
Who runs Pomona, 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 Pomona's own public documents. Every number links to its source and says which year it describes. Checked Oct 10, 2026.
Who runs Pomona
Pomona is a charter city with a council-manager government. The mayor is elected citywide and presides over the council; the other six council members are elected by district to four-year terms. The council sets policy, adopts the budget and appoints the city manager, who is the chief administrative officer. The city contracts with Los Angeles County for fire service and with Athens Services for trash.
What they are paid
- 12 months' base pay plus 12 months of health benefits as severance if fired without cause
- $500 a month car allowance
- 240 hours of vacation a year
- City-paid executive coach
- Contract extends two years at a time each Feb. 6 after a satisfactory evaluation
Pomona city staff
651 full-time-equivalent positions, including Police 285, Public Works 95, Water Resources 91. FY2026-27. Total benefitted staffing in the FY2026-27 budget, all funds. City of Pomona · May 11, 2026
The city posts a citywide salary schedule with pay ranges for every job title. We did not pull pay bands from the State Controller's database. We name pay only for elected officials and the city manager.
Is Pomona 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.
Savings against the city's own target
Unassigned general fund balance: $16.3M (2025-06-30). The city's own target: The council's fiscal policy commits part of the general fund for fiscal sustainability: at least 22% of operating spending, rising 1% a year to 25%. On June 30, 2025 that committed reserve was $42.4 million and met the 24% goal for FY2024-25. A separate $600,000 is committed for catastrophic events. City of Pomona · Jun 2, 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 taxes$58.9M · 32%
- Sales and use tax$42.6M · 23%
- Other taxes (franchise, hotel, cannabis and others)$23M · 13%
- Utility users tax$22.5M · 12%
- Drawn from reserves$11.4M · 6%
- Licenses, permits and fees$9.2M · 5%
- Other (charges for services, fines, interest, transfers in)$14.3M · 8%
Goes to (FY2026-27)
- Police$87M · 48%
- Fire (Los Angeles County contract)$37.9M · 21%
- Public Works$16.4M · 9%
- Administration$10.6M · 6%
- Development Services$7.8M · 4%
- Community Services$7M · 4%
- General Services$6.1M · 3%
- Other (Finance, Library, Human Resources, City Clerk, Neighborhood Services, City Council)$9.2M · 5%
Who provides your services
Not everything in Pomona is run by the city. Who provides a service decides whose budget pays for it and whose election decides it.
- PoliceThe cityPomona Police DepartmentCity of Pomona · May 11, 2026
- Fire and emergency medical serviceContractorLos Angeles County Fire DistrictContract since 1994; a new three-year contract was approved in 2026City of Pomona · Mar 16, 2026
- 911 dispatchThe cityPomona Police Department Dispatch ServicesCity of Pomona · May 11, 2026
- WaterThe cityCity of Pomona Water Resources DepartmentCity of Pomona · May 11, 2026
- SewerThe cityCity of PomonaCity of Pomona · May 11, 2026
- TrashContractorAthens ServicesCity of Pomona · May 11, 2026
- LibraryThe cityPomona Public Library (city Library Department)City of Pomona · May 11, 2026
- Parks and recreationThe cityCity of Pomona Community Services Department30 parks and 12 community centersCity of Pomona · May 11, 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 | EscondidoCA | PomonaCA | CoronaCA | SalinasCA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 152,196 | 154,680 | 159,309 | 159,866 |
| Top administrator's base pay | $326,480 | $352,820 | Not current (2023) | $315,000 |
| Council member pay | $26,941 | $9,828 | Not confirmed | $30,600 |
| General fund per resident | $956 | $1,176 | $1,513 | $1,228 |
| Debt per resident | $1,364 | $2,350 | $1,672 | $805 |
| Unfunded pension per resident | $1,865 | $205 | $392 | $1,444 |
| City staff per 1,000 residents | 6.5 | 4.2 | 5.9 | 4.3 |
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). Pomona pays another agency for police or fire, so its own staff count is lower.
What Pomona 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 FY2024-25 audit report is dated June 2, 2026, 11 months after the June 30 year end. The council received it June 15, 2026. City of Pomona · Jun 2, 2026
- Yes: Adopted budget posted online City of Pomona · May 26, 2026
- Yes: City manager's contract findable onlineThe city manager's 2024 contract and its amendments are attached to council agenda items on the city's Legistar site. City of Pomona · Feb 5, 2024
- No: Council votes recorded member by member onlineThe May 26, 2026 minutes give the mover, seconder and a 7-0 count for the budget vote, but not how each member voted. City of Pomona · May 26, 2026
- Yes: Council pay stated in a public documentThe budget's staffing pages list monthly pay of $819 for council members and $1,638 for the mayor. City of Pomona · May 11, 2026
- Yes: Employee pay publishedThe citywide salary schedule lists monthly or annual pay steps for every job title, as of Oct. 1, 2026. City of Pomona · Sep 21, 2026
Questions to ask your council
- Fire service from Los Angeles County is budgeted at $37.9 million in FY2026-27, and the county is phasing in full cost recovery. What will the contract cost when the three-year transitional agreement ends?
- Unassigned general fund balance was $16.3 million on June 30, 2025, beside $42.4 million committed for fiscal sustainability. How much will be left if the city keeps drawing on reserves?
- The FY2024-25 audit report is dated June 2, 2026, 11 months after the year ended. What would it take to publish it sooner?
The fiscal year starts July 1. The council held its budget study session on May 11, 2026 and adopted the FY2026-27 budget after a public hearing on May 26, 2026. After voters passed Measure Z on June 2, 2026, staff brought budget amendments to the council on Aug. 3, 2026. See who is running for council
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