How Colonial Heights is run
Who runs Colonial Heights, 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 Colonial Heights's own public documents. Every number links to its source and says which year it describes. Checked Oct 11, 2026.
Who runs Colonial Heights
A city manager appointed by the council runs the city government day to day. The seven-member council sets policy and approves the budget and all appropriations.
What they are paid
Colonial Heights city staff
282 full-time-equivalent positions. FY2026-27. City of Colonial Heights · Jul 1, 2026
The budget lists positions by department. Council adopts a pay plan with salary ranges by grade, but no list of individual salaries is posted. We name pay only for elected officials and the city manager.
Is Colonial Heights 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.
Savings against the city's own target
Unassigned general fund balance: $25.4M (2024-06-30). The city's own target: The city keeps unassigned general fund balance of at least 10% of the general fund budget, with a goal of 12%. The city meets this target. City of Colonial Heights · Apr 15, 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 FY2026-27.
Comes from
- General property taxes$35.1M · 42%
- Other local taxes (sales, meals, lodging, utility and other)$26.2M · 32%
- State and federal aid$9.7M · 12%
- Licenses, permits and fees$5M · 6%
- Charges for services$3.5M · 4%
- Miscellaneous (including use of fund balance)$2.6M · 3%
- Other (fines, interest and rents)$780,680 · 1%
Goes to (FY2026-27)
- Transfers to other funds, mostly the city schools$31.1M · 38%
- Police$8.2M · 10%
- Fire and EMS$7.4M · 9%
- Debt service$3.7M · 4%
- Emergency communications (911)$2.3M · 3%
- Street maintenance$2.3M · 3%
- Regional jail (incarceration)$1.9M · 2%
- Other (administration, courts, sheriff, public works, parks, library, social services, other)$25.9M · 31%
Your property tax bill: who gets it
Colonial Heights is an independent city, so there is no county property tax. The city funds its share of the schools from the general fund. The council proposed keeping the $1.20 rate for 2027.
100¢
of each property-tax dollar goes to the city of Colonial Heights
- City of Colonial Heights (including schools)1.2 · 100%
- Total ($ per $100 of assessed value)1.2
Real estate tax rate for a home in the City of Colonial Heights. City of Colonial Heights
Who provides your services
Not everything in Colonial Heights is run by the city. Who provides a service decides whose budget pays for it and whose election decides it.
- PoliceThe cityColonial Heights Police DepartmentCity of Colonial Heights · Jul 1, 2026
- Fire and EMSThe cityColonial Heights Fire & EMS DepartmentThree fire units and three ambulances are staffed on each shift.City of Colonial Heights · Jul 1, 2026
- 911 dispatchThe cityColonial Heights Emergency Communications CenterCity of Colonial Heights · Jul 1, 2026
- Sewer treatmentAnother agencySouth Central Wastewater AuthorityCity of Colonial Heights · Apr 15, 2026
- StreetsThe cityCity Public WorksCity of Colonial Heights · Jul 1, 2026
- LibraryThe cityColonial Heights Public LibraryCity of Colonial Heights · Jul 1, 2026
- JailAnother agencyRiverside Regional Jail AuthorityA regional jail shared with Hopewell, Petersburg and four counties.City of Colonial Heights · Apr 15, 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 | WilliamsburgVA | BristolVA | RadfordVA | Colonial HeightsVA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 15,861 | 16,418 | 17,243 | 18,738 |
| Top administrator's base pay | Not confirmed | $185,000 | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Council member pay | Not confirmed | Not current (2018) | Not confirmed | $10,000 |
| General fund per resident | $3,949 | $5,915 | $2,052 | $4,422 |
| Debt per resident | $2,977 | $9,124 | $1,831 | $1,677 |
| Unfunded pension per resident | $792 | $972 | $355 | $537 |
| City staff per 1,000 residents | 15.6 | 18.4 | — | 15.0 |
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 Colonial Heights publishes
What a resident can find online today. A "no" is something you can ask the council to publish.
- No: Audited financial report filed on timeThe FY2024 audit is dated April 15, 2026. The FY2025 audit is pending, with completion estimated for February 26, 2027. City of Colonial Heights
- No: City manager's contract findable onlineWe found no posted contract or salary for City Manager Douglas E. Smith on the city manager or budget pages. City of Colonial Heights
- Yes: Council votes recorded member by member onlineCouncil minutes list each member's yes or no vote, for example on the June 9, 2026 consent agenda. Colonial Heights City Council · Jun 9, 2026
- Yes: Council pay stated in a public documentThe city's FAQ states the mayor's $11,000 and council members' $10,000 yearly salaries. City of Colonial Heights
Questions to ask your council
- The FY2024 audit was dated April 15, 2026, and the FY2025 audit is estimated for February 26, 2027. What is the plan to return to on-time audits?
- Unassigned general fund balance was $25.4 million at June 30, 2024, above the 10% minimum and 12% goal. How does the council plan to use the amount above the goal?
- Transfers to other funds, mostly the schools, are $31.1 million of the $82.9 million general fund budget in FY2026-27. How does the council review the school funding formula?
- The real estate rate stays at $1.20 while general property taxes are budgeted at $35.1 million in FY2026-27. How much of the increase comes from higher assessments?
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