How Bend is run
Who runs Bend, 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 Bend's own public documents. Every number links to its source and says which year it describes. Checked Oct 10, 2026.
Who runs Bend
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
- $3,000 a year health and wellness stipend
- No retirement benefits
Bend city staff
831 full-time-equivalent positions. BN2025-27. City of Bend · Jul 1, 2025
The city posts salary ranges by job class for each employee group. We found no list of pay by employee. We name pay only for elected officials and the city manager.
Is Bend 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 message says slower growth and rising costs create a structural imbalance. Citywide operating revenues are projected to rise 12% ($63 million) while expenses rise 19% ($181 million), a $118 million gap that reserves and one-time revenues will mostly close; the city says relying on these is not sustainable long-term. City of Bend · Jul 1, 2025
Savings against the city's own target
Unassigned general fund balance: $39.8M (2025-06-30). The city's own target: Keep General Fund unassigned reserves, counting the Revenue Stabilization Fund, of at least 16% of the General Fund operating budget. Balances above 16% go to streets and transportation. On June 30, 2025 the two funds held 45% of the operating budget. City of Bend · Dec 12, 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 BN2025-27 (two years).
Comes from
- Property taxes$92.2M · 46%
- Beginning fund balance$34.4M · 17%
- Franchise fees$24M · 12%
- Room tax$18.5M · 9%
- Loan repayments from other funds$10.9M · 5%
- Intergovernmental$7.6M · 4%
- Juniper Ridge city land sales$5.3M · 3%
- Other$9.6M · 5%
Goes to (BN2025-27 (two years))
- Police$81.4M · 40%
- Subsidy to Fire/EMS$41M · 20%
- Overhead charges to internal services$16.6M · 8%
- Reserve from Juniper Ridge land sales$12.9M · 6%
- Year-end loans to other funds$10.4M · 5%
- Subsidy to streets$9M · 4%
- Contingency$8M · 4%
- Other$23.1M · 11%
Your property tax bill: who gets it
About a quarter of each property-tax dollar goes to the city and its urban renewal district ($4.34 of $16.86 per $1,000). These are the rates in the city's audited report; Oregon's Measure 5 and Measure 50 limits can lower what an owner actually pays.
26¢
of each property-tax dollar goes to the city of Bend
- Bend-La Pine School District6.47 · 38%
- City of BendOperating and debt service levies.4.09 · 24%
- Deschutes County (incl. countywide law enforcement and 9-1-1)2.86 · 17%
- Bend Metro Park and Recreation District1.56 · 9%
- Deschutes County Library0.85 · 5%
- Central Oregon Community College0.69 · 4%
- Bend Urban Renewal District0.25 · 1%
- Education Service District0.09 · <1%
- Total ($ per $1,000 of assessed value)16.86
FY2024-25 rates for property in the city of Bend (Deschutes County, tax code area 1-001). City of Bend · Dec 12, 2025
See what a Bend house pays, line by line →Who provides your services
Not everything in Bend is run by the city. Who provides a service decides whose budget pays for it and whose election decides it.
- PoliceThe cityCity of Bend Police DepartmentCity of Bend · Dec 12, 2025
- FireThe cityBend Fire & Rescue (city)Also serves Deschutes County Rural Fire Protection District No. 2 under contract.City of Bend · Jul 1, 2025
- WaterThe cityCity of BendCity of Bend · Dec 12, 2025
- Sewer (water reclamation)The cityCity of BendCity of Bend · Dec 12, 2025
- StormwaterThe cityCity of BendCity of Bend · Dec 12, 2025
- Streets and sidewalksThe cityCity of BendCity of Bend · Dec 12, 2025
- Municipal courtThe cityCity of BendCity of Bend · Dec 12, 2025
- Airport, cemetery and parkingThe cityCity of BendCity of Bend · Dec 12, 2025
- Parks and recreationSeparate districtBend Metro Park and Recreation DistrictA separate district since 1974; it was a city department before that.Bend Metro Park and Recreation District · Dec 1, 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 | MedfordOR | BeavertonOR | BendOR | GreshamOR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 86,494 | 97,842 | 107,342 | 111,513 |
| Top administrator's base pay | Not confirmed | $269,517 | Not confirmed | $260,000 |
| Council member pay | No salary | Not confirmed | $30,000 | $28,956 |
| General fund per resident | $2,385 | $1,271 | $1,885 | $1,171 |
| Debt per resident | $1,490 | $3,213 | $5,387 | $814 |
| Unfunded pension per resident | $893 | $1,283 | $991 | $1,372 |
| City staff per 1,000 residents | 6.8 | 5.9 | 7.7 | 6.2 |
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). Beaverton pays another agency for police or fire, so its own staff count is lower.
What Bend publishes
What a resident can find online today. A "no" is something you can ask the council to publish.
- Yes: Adopted budget posted onlineThe 2025-2027 adopted biennial budget is posted as a PDF on the city's Financial Reports page. City of Bend
- No: City manager's contract findable onlineWe found no employment agreement or salary for the city manager on the city site. The salary schedule lists the assistant city manager only. City of Bend
- Yes: Meeting videos and minutes onlineThe city's meetings page posts council agendas, minutes and meeting videos. City of Bend
- Yes: Council pay stated in a public documentThe 2024 compensation ordinance states the monthly stipends: $2,500 for councilors and $4,166.67 for the mayor, phased in by election. City of Bend · May 15, 2024
- Partly: Employee pay published City of Bend
Questions to ask your council
- The budget message projects citywide expenses rising $181 million against $63 million of new revenue, a $118 million gap closed mostly with reserves and one-time money. What is the plan for the FY2027-29 budget?
- City debt rose from $491.2 million to $578.3 million in FY2024-25, including $97.1 million for the Public Works Campus and other projects. How will the new payments fit in future budgets?
- General Fund unassigned reserves of $39.8 million were 45% of the operating budget on June 30, 2025, against a 16% target, and the policy sends the excess to streets. How much of that excess is planned for streets?
- The city's share of the PERS net pension liability is $106.4 million. How will rising PERS rates be covered in the next budget?
Help decide what comes next
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