How Winchester is run
Who runs Winchester, 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 Winchester's own public documents. Every number links to its source and says which year it describes. Checked Oct 10, 2026.
Who runs Winchester
A city manager hired by the council runs the city day to day. The council sets policy, adopts the budget and sets the tax rate.
What they are paid
Winchester city staff
168 full-time-equivalent positions. FY2025-26. City of Winchester · Jun 3, 2025
The city publishes department salary totals in its budget, not individual employee pay. We name pay only for elected officials and the city manager.
Is Winchester 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 FY2025 audit lists improving the city's financial position, so that revenues exceed expenses, among the issues management is reviewing. The FY2025-26 budget letter notes the payroll tax rise from 2% to 2.15% and a consultant's recommendation of 2.25% between 2028 and 2030. City of Winchester · Mar 17, 2026
Savings against the city's own target
Unassigned general fund balance: $3.7M (2025-06-30). The city's own target: We found no written reserve rule. The audit says the unassigned balance equals 13.1% of general fund spending. City of Winchester · Mar 17, 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 FY2025-26.
Comes from
- Payroll tax$12.6M · 43%
- Insurance premium tax$5.3M · 18%
- EMS billing and county EMS reimbursement$3.1M · 11%
- Property tax (real estate)$2.3M · 8%
- Drawn from general fund balance$1.2M · 4%
- Other$4.6M · 16%
Goes to (FY2025-26)
- Fire$7.3M · 25%
- Police$6.2M · 21%
- EMS$4.6M · 16%
- Public works$2M · 7%
- Central communications (911 dispatch)$1.8M · 6%
- Transfer to capital equipment fund$1.6M · 5%
- Shared service agreements (parks, GIS and other joint agencies)$1.1M · 4%
- Finance$1.1M · 4%
- Other$3.3M · 11%
Your property tax bill: who gets it
Of each property-tax dollar a Winchester homeowner pays, about 11 cents goes to the city and about 60 cents to the Clark County schools.
11¢
of each property-tax dollar goes to the city of Winchester
- Clark County Public Schools65.5 · 60%
- City of Winchester12.3 · 11%
- State of Kentucky10.6 · 10%
- Clark County Fiscal Court8 · 7%
- Library4.6 · 4%
- Health department4.4 · 4%
- Extension services3 · 3%
- Total (cents per $100 of assessed value)108.4
2025 property tax rates for a home in the city of Winchester (Clark County), Clark County schools. Kentucky Department of Revenue
See what a Winchester home costs each year, line by line →Who provides your services
Not everything in Winchester is run by the city. Who provides a service decides whose budget pays for it and whose election decides it.
- PoliceThe cityWinchester Police DepartmentCity of Winchester · Mar 17, 2026
- FireThe cityWinchester Fire DepartmentCity of Winchester · Mar 17, 2026
- Emergency medical servicesThe cityCity of Winchester EMS DivisionCity of Winchester · Mar 17, 2026
- Water and sewerThe cityWinchester Municipal UtilitiesA city-created utility with its own commission, budget and audit; the city commission appoints its members and sets rates.City of Winchester · Mar 17, 2026
- Streets and public worksThe cityCity of Winchester Public WorksCity of Winchester · Mar 17, 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 | MurrayKY | MadisonvilleKY | WinchesterKY | ErlangerKY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 18,964 | 19,428 | 19,514 | 20,158 |
| Top administrator's base pay | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Council member pay | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | $4,468 |
| General fund per resident | $1,381 | $2,017 | $1,486 | $1,085 |
| Debt per resident | $2,832 | $1,096 | $3,179 | $0 |
| Unfunded pension per resident | $1,163 | $2,548 | $1,632 | $1,155 |
| City staff per 1,000 residents | 9.4 | 17.2 | 8.6 | 5.3 |
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).
What Winchester 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 Winchester · Mar 18, 2026
- No: City manager's contract findable onlineWe found no city manager contract on the city's budget, audit or agenda pages. City of Winchester · Mar 18, 2026
- No: Council votes recorded member by member onlineWe found commission agendas online but no readable minutes showing each member's vote. The city's website blocks automated access. City of Winchester · Mar 17, 2026
- No: Council pay stated in a public documentThe budget lists salaries for the mayor and four commissioners as one Commission department line, not each person's pay. City of Winchester · Jun 3, 2025
- Partly: Employee pay publishedThe budget shows salary totals by department, not individual pay. City of Winchester · Jun 3, 2025
Questions to ask your council
- The FY2025-26 budget draws $1.2 million from the general fund balance, which had $3.7 million unassigned on June 30, 2025. How long can the city keep drawing on it?
- The payroll tax is budgeted at $12.6 million in FY2025-26, the largest general fund source. Will the city raise the rate to 2.25% between 2028 and 2030, as its consultant recommended?
- The city's share of pension liabilities was $31.8 million on June 30, 2025, most of it for police and fire. What is the plan to pay it down?
- The city and Winchester Municipal Utilities owed $62.0 million in bonds and loans on June 30, 2025. How will planned projects change that total?
The fiscal year starts July 1. Departments submit budget requests in the early spring, the City Manager drafts the budget, and the Board of Commissioners holds first and second readings. A final budget must be in place before June 30. See who is running for council
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