How West Linn is run
Who runs West Linn, 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 West Linn's own public documents. Every number links to its source and says which year it describes. Checked Oct 11, 2026.
Who runs West Linn
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
West Linn city staff
138 full-time-equivalent positions. BN2025-27 adopted budget. City of West Linn · Jun 26, 2025
The adopted budget lists pay ranges for every position. We name pay only for elected officials and the city manager.
Is West Linn 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 city's five-year forecast shows General Fund spending above revenue every year from FY2025-26 on. If all budgeted money is spent, the fund balance would fall from $22.9 million in FY2024-25 to a $3.95 million deficit in FY2028-29 and a $10.5 million deficit in FY2029-30. The budget message says the General Fund could be $9 million short in four years and calls it a recurring problem. City of West Linn · Jun 26, 2025
Savings
Unassigned general fund balance: $14.7M (2025-06-30). City of West Linn · Dec 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 BN2025-27.
Comes from
- Beginning fund balance$22.9M · 30%
- Property taxes$19.6M · 26%
- Transfers from other funds$12.7M · 17%
- Parks maintenance fee$5.8M · 8%
- Library district levy$4M · 5%
- Franchise fees$3.8M · 5%
- Fees and charges$2.3M · 3%
- Other$3.9M · 5%
Goes to (BN2025-27)
- Police (Public Safety)$17.3M · 23%
- Parks and recreation$16.3M · 22%
- Contingency$5.3M · 7%
- Library$5.3M · 7%
- Non-departmental$3.9M · 5%
- Information technology$3.8M · 5%
- City management$3.3M · 4%
- Other$20M · 27%
Your property tax bill: who gets it
The city's own rates are $2.49 of the $19.11 per $1,000 total shown in the audited report. The largest share goes to the West Linn-Wilsonville School District. Fire service is paid through the Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue rate.
13¢
of each property-tax dollar goes to the city of West Linn
- West Linn-Wilsonville School District9.29 · 49%
- Clackamas County3.35 · 18%
- City of West Linn (permanent rate)2.115 · 11%
- Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue2.1 · 11%
- Clackamas Community College0.8 · 4%
- Other districts0.72 · 4%
- City of West Linn (bonded debt)0.3734 · 2%
- Clackamas Education Service District0.37 · 2%
- Total ($ per $1,000 of assessed value)19.1184
FY2024-25 rates for property in West Linn (Clackamas County). City of West Linn · Dec 18, 2025
See what a West Linn home costs each year, line by line →Who provides your services
Not everything in West Linn is run by the city. Who provides a service decides whose budget pays for it and whose election decides it.
- PoliceThe cityCity of West LinnCity of West Linn · Dec 18, 2025
- Fire and EMSSeparate districtTualatin Valley Fire and RescueCity of West Linn · Dec 18, 2025
- 911 dispatchAnother agencyCity of Lake OswegoLake Oswego dispatches for the West Linn Police Department under an agreement.City of West Linn · Dec 18, 2025
- WaterThe cityCity of West LinnTreated water is bought wholesale from the South Fork Water Board, which West Linn and Oregon City own equally.City of West Linn · Dec 18, 2025
- Sewage treatmentSeparate districtTri-City Service DistrictTreated at the Tri-City plant in Oregon City.City of West Linn · Dec 18, 2025
- StormwaterThe cityCity of West LinnCity of West Linn · Dec 18, 2025
- StreetsThe cityCity of West LinnCity of West Linn · Dec 18, 2025
- LibraryThe cityCity of West LinnCity of West Linn · Dec 18, 2025
- Parks and recreationThe cityCity of West LinnCity of West Linn · Dec 18, 2025
- Municipal courtThe cityCity of West LinnCity of West Linn · Dec 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 | West LinnOR | Forest GroveOR | WilsonvilleOR | TualatinOR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 26,567 | 27,252 | 27,833 | 28,139 |
| Top administrator's base pay | $220,600 | $195,168 | $216,000 | $224,211 |
| Council member pay | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| General fund per resident | $2,829 | $2,269 | $1,768 | $1,724 |
| Debt per resident | $1,328 | $295 | $1,347 | $1,050 |
| Unfunded pension per resident | $705 | $1,318 | $698 | $936 |
| City staff per 1,000 residents | 5.2 | 7.1 | 7.3 | 5.9 |
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). West Linn and Wilsonville pays another agency for police or fire, so its own staff count is lower.
What West Linn publishes
What a resident can find online today. A "no" is something you can ask the council to publish.
- Yes: Audited financial report filed on time City of West Linn · Oct 11, 2026
- Yes: Adopted budget posted online City of West Linn · Jun 26, 2025
- No: City manager's contract findable onlineThe City Manager page gives his background but no contract, and we found no posted employment agreement. City of West Linn · Oct 11, 2026
- Yes: Council votes recorded member by member online City of West Linn · Jun 23, 2025
- Yes: Meeting videos and minutes onlineAgendas, minutes and archived meeting video are posted on the city's Granicus site. City of West Linn · Oct 11, 2026
- Partly: Council pay stated in a public documentThe budget shows total council stipends ($96,000 in FY2025-26) but no amount for each member. City of West Linn · Jun 26, 2025
- Yes: Employee pay published City of West Linn · Jun 26, 2025
Questions to ask your council
- The city's forecast shows the General Fund balance falling from $22.9 million in FY2024-25 to a $10.5 million deficit in FY2029-30 if all budgeted money is spent. What steps will the council take before the next two-year budget?
- Police account for $17.3 million and parks for $16.3 million of the $75.1 million two-year General Fund budget. How does the council measure what that spending delivers?
- Unassigned General Fund reserves were $14.7 million on June 30, 2025. How much of that does the council want to keep as the forecast balance declines?
The fiscal year runs July 1 to June 30, and West Linn adopts a two-year budget. For BN2025-27, the city manager presented the budget to the Budget Committee on May 27, 2025, the committee approved it on May 29, and the council adopted it (Resolution 2025-06) on June 23, 2025. See who is running for council
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