How Yucca Valley is run
Who runs Yucca Valley, 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 Yucca Valley's own public documents. Every number links to its source and says which year it describes. Checked Oct 9, 2026.
Who runs Yucca Valley
A town manager appointed by the council carries out the council's policies, runs day-to-day operations and appoints the town's management team. The five-member council, elected by district, passes ordinances, adopts the budget and appoints the town manager and town attorney. Police service comes from the San Bernardino County Sheriff under contract, and fire protection from the San Bernardino County Fire Department.
What they are paid
- CalPERS retirement contributions for council members
- A $5,000 conference budget for each council member
Yucca Valley city staff
51 full-time-equivalent positions, including Community services 17, Public works 14, General government 10, Community development 10. FY2025. Town of Yucca Valley · Nov 18, 2025
Police and fire are provided by San Bernardino County, so those workers are not town employees. The budget posts the town's salary plan with pay ranges for every job title and the town manager's monthly salary. We did not pull pay bands from the State Controller's database. We name pay only for elected officials and the city manager.
Is Yucca Valley 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 projects general fund revenue of about $22.9 million and spending of about $22.5 million in FY2026-27. The town's five-year forecast shows continued positive operating results and reserve compliance through FY2032-33, but staff warn that slower growth in sales tax, hotel tax and development revenue could create future budget pressure. Town of Yucca Valley · Jun 2, 2026
Savings
Unassigned general fund balance: $16.8M (2025-06-30). Town of Yucca Valley · Nov 18, 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 tax$8.2M · 36%
- Sales tax (Bradley-Burns)$4.8M · 21%
- Transient occupancy (hotel and short-term rental) tax$4.5M · 20%
- Franchise fees$1.4M · 6%
- Interest$1.4M · 6%
- Community development fees and permits$1.1M · 5%
- Other (animal services, administrative, community services)$1.3M · 6%
Goes to (FY2026-27)
- Police (San Bernardino County Sheriff contract)$6.6M · 29%
- Parks, recreation, aquatics, museum and community services$4.4M · 20%
- Administration (council, manager, clerk, attorney, finance, HR, IT)$4.2M · 19%
- Community development and public works$3.7M · 16%
- Town-wide general services$1.8M · 8%
- Animal shelter and animal control$1.5M · 7%
- Other (contracts, recycling, partnerships, emergency preparedness)$283,136 · 1%
Who provides your services
Not everything in Yucca Valley is run by the city. Who provides a service decides whose budget pays for it and whose election decides it.
- PoliceThe countySan Bernardino County Sheriff's Department (town contract)Town of Yucca Valley · Jun 2, 2026
- FireThe countySan Bernardino County Fire DepartmentTown of Yucca Valley · Nov 18, 2025
- City streetsThe cityTown of Yucca Valley Public WorksTown of Yucca Valley · Nov 18, 2025
- RecreationThe cityTown of Yucca ValleyTown of Yucca Valley · Nov 18, 2025
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 | South Lake TahoeCA | Yucca ValleyCA | CudahyCA | Laguna BeachCA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 21,472 | 21,798 | 22,234 | 22,440 |
| Top administrator's base pay | $265,000 | $279,774 | $245,000 | $337,094 |
| Council member pay | $16,734 | Not confirmed | $14,798 | Not confirmed |
| General fund per resident | $3,320 | $1,032 | $657 | $4,503 |
| Debt per resident | $3,466 | $828 | $229 | $1,102 |
| Unfunded pension per resident | $3,973 | $272 | $195 | $3,721 |
| City staff per 1,000 residents | 10.9 | 2.3 | — | 15.9 |
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). Yucca Valley and Cudahy pays another agency for police or fire, so its own staff count is lower.
What Yucca Valley publishes
What a resident can find online today. A "no" is something you can ask the council to publish.
- Yes: Adopted budget posted onlineThe FY2026-2028 adopted operating budget is posted on the town's finance page. Town of Yucca Valley
- Yes: Council votes recorded member by member onlineMinutes in the town's CivicClerk portal list each member's vote, e.g. the 5-0 vote adopting the FY2026-28 budget on June 2, 2026. Town of Yucca Valley · Jun 2, 2026
- Yes: Employee pay published Town of Yucca Valley · Jun 2, 2026
Questions to ask your council
- The Sheriff's contract is $6.6 million of the town's $22.5 million FY2026-27 general fund budget. How will the town handle yearly increases in that contract?
- In FY2025 the general fund took in $22.6 million and spent $17.2 million, but its balance rose by only $18,497 after transfers. How does the council decide how much of each year's surplus goes to capital projects?
- The town owes $18.1 million on its 2022 leaseback financing for Town Hall, the Senior Center and an aquatics center. How will the new aquatics center's yearly operating costs be paid?
- Unassigned general fund reserves were $16.8 million at June 30, 2025. What level does the town's written reserve policy set, and will the town post it online?
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