How Wyoming is run
Who runs Wyoming, 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 Wyoming's own public documents. Every number links to its source and says which year it describes. Checked Oct 10, 2026.
Who runs Wyoming
Wyoming has a council-manager government. The mayor and six council members, three elected at large and three by ward, adopt ordinances and the budget. The council appoints the city manager, who runs day-to-day operations, and also appoints the city clerk, comptroller and city attorney.
What they are paid
Wyoming city staff
399 full-time-equivalent positions. 2025-06-30. Full-time equivalent employees at June 30, 2025, from the audit's statistical section, up from 336 in 2016. City of Wyoming · Nov 20, 2025
The city posts salary schedules for every employee group and the salaries of its contract positions, such as department heads. We found no list of individual employees' pay. We name pay only for elected officials and the city manager.
Is Wyoming 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 adopted fund summary has no multi-year forecast. For FY2026-27 it plans $35.5 million of general fund revenue against $43.8 million of spending, using $8.3 million of fund balance. The ending balance is projected at $20.7 million, down from an estimated $29.1 million. City of Wyoming · May 18, 2026
Savings against the city's own target
Unassigned general fund balance: $19.7M (2025-06-30). The city's own target: Keep unassigned general fund balance between 16.7% and 33.4% of budgeted general fund operating spending, at least two months. At June 30, 2025, the balance exceeded the target range. City of Wyoming · Nov 20, 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
- Taxes$17.3M · 39%
- State grants$9.3M · 21%
- Use of fund balance$8.3M · 19%
- Charges for service$6.4M · 15%
- Fines and forfeitures$1.1M · 3%
- Interest and rentals$810,000 · 2%
- Licenses and permits$525,000 · 1%
- Other (other revenues, local contributions, financing sources)$65,000 · 0%
Goes to (FY2026-27)
- Transfer to Public Safety Fund (police and fire)$22.5M · 51%
- Personnel services$9.7M · 22%
- Transfer to Capital Projects Revolving Fund$5.8M · 13%
- Other services and charges$5.3M · 12%
- Supplies$468,092 · 1%
Your property tax bill: who gets it
Michigan homesteads are exempt from 18 mills of school operating tax, so rentals and businesses pay more. Wyoming spans eight school districts, and school rates differ by district.
32¢
of each property-tax dollar goes to the city of Wyoming
- City of Wyoming13.0826 · 32%
- State education tax6 · 15%
- Wyoming Public Schools6.1095 · 15%
- Kent County6.0037 · 15%
- Kent ISD5.3515 · 13%
- Grand Rapids Community College1.6793 · 4%
- Transit1.3817 · 3%
- Library1.0832 · 3%
- Total (mills)40.6915
2025 tax rates for a homestead in Wyoming Public Schools (Kent County). City of Wyoming Treasurer · Dec 1, 2025
See what a Wyoming home costs each year, line by line →Who provides your services
Not everything in Wyoming is run by the city. Who provides a service decides whose budget pays for it and whose election decides it.
- PoliceThe cityWyoming Police DepartmentCity of Wyoming · Nov 20, 2025
- FireThe cityWyoming Fire DepartmentCity of Wyoming · Nov 20, 2025
- WaterThe cityCity water utilityThe city also sells water wholesale to surrounding governments.City of Wyoming · Nov 20, 2025
- StreetsThe cityCity of WyomingCity of Wyoming · Nov 20, 2025
- Parks and recreationThe cityCity of WyomingCity of Wyoming · Nov 20, 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 | Battle CreekMI | WyomingMI | FlintMI | Ann ArborMI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 52,021 | 78,588 | 79,306 | 122,233 |
| Top administrator's base pay | $190,000 | $221,835 | Not confirmed | $300,000 |
| Council member pay | Not confirmed | $11,193 | Not confirmed | $34,878 |
| General fund per resident | $1,263 | $558 | $1,120 | $1,391 |
| Debt per resident | $924 | $976 | $791 | $2,104 |
| Unfunded pension per resident | $2,166 | $185 | $2,845 | $121 |
| City staff per 1,000 residents | 10.3 | 5.1 | 6.2 | 7.3 |
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 Wyoming publishes
What a resident can find online today. A "no" is something you can ask the council to publish.
- No: City manager's contract findable onlineThe council approved the manager's agreement on May 8, 2023, but the packet does not include it. The contracts page lists union contracts only. City of Wyoming · May 8, 2023
- Yes: Council pay stated in a public documentThe Officers Compensation Commission's 2025 recommendation states the mayor's and council's annual pay. City of Wyoming · Apr 7, 2025
- Partly: Employee pay published City of Wyoming · Oct 10, 2026
Questions to ask your council
- The FY2026-27 general fund budget uses $8.3 million of fund balance, and the projected ending balance is $20.7 million. How will the city keep funding the $22.5 million transfer to the Public Safety Fund in later years?
- Unassigned general fund balance was $19.7 million on June 30, 2025, above the policy range of 16.7% to 33.4% of operating spending. What level does the council plan to keep after this year's draw?
- Water and sewer revenue debt was $76.7 million on June 30, 2025, all of it owed by the water and sewer funds. How much more borrowing and how large a rate increase will the third water transmission main require?
- The council approved the city manager's employment agreement in May 2023, and the salary schedule lists $221,835. Will the city post the agreement and its benefits?
The fiscal year starts July 1. The city manager submits a proposed budget in April. The council held the public hearing on May 4, 2026, and adopted the FY2026-27 budget and tax levy on May 18, 2026. The charter requires adoption by the council's second meeting in May. See who is running for council
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