How Lynchburg is run
Who runs Lynchburg, 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 Lynchburg's own public documents. Every number links to its source and says which year it describes. Checked Oct 10, 2026.
Who runs Lynchburg
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
Lynchburg city staff
1,457 full-time-equivalent positions, including Public safety 472, Health and human services 192, Public works 172, General government 126, Parks, recreation and cultural 82. FY2027 budget. City of Lynchburg · Jul 1, 2026
The budget lists staffing (FTE) by department and describes the sworn public safety pay plan; we found no published pay list by position or employee. We name pay only for elected officials and the city manager.
Is Lynchburg 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 budget says it is structurally balanced, with ongoing revenues meeting ongoing expenditures, and keeps tax rates unchanged. It uses $8.7 million of prior-year unassigned fund balance for capital and $753,265 to waive trash collection fees for FY2027, and projects unassigned fund balance of $24.4 million at the end of the year. City of Lynchburg · Jul 1, 2026
Savings against the city's own target
Unassigned general fund balance: $47.4M (2025-06-30). The city's own target: The city keeps unassigned general fund balance of at least 10% of general fund revenues, with a goal of 15%. The city meets this target. City of Lynchburg · Dec 2, 2025
Bar: unassigned savings of $47.4M. Line: the amount the city's target calls for.
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$110M · 42%
- Other local taxes$71.1M · 27%
- State aid$33.2M · 13%
- Use of fund balance$14.1M · 5%
- Charges for services$11.7M · 5%
- Federal aid$10.9M · 4%
- Other (permits, fines, interest, miscellaneous)$9.2M · 4%
Goes to (FY2026-27)
- Public safety$60M · 23%
- Transfers out (mostly schools, plus transit and capital)$58.3M · 22%
- General government$30.4M · 12%
- Health and human services$29M · 11%
- Public works$28.9M · 11%
- Debt service (city and schools)$20.2M · 8%
- Other (judicial, community development, parks, outside agencies)$33.4M · 13%
Who provides your services
Not everything in Lynchburg is run by the city. Who provides a service decides whose budget pays for it and whose election decides it.
- PoliceThe cityLynchburg Police DepartmentCity of Lynchburg · Jul 1, 2026
- Fire and EMSThe cityLynchburg Fire DepartmentCity of Lynchburg · Jul 1, 2026
- 911 dispatchThe cityEmergency Communications (Police Department)City of Lynchburg · Jul 1, 2026
- WaterThe cityCity Water Resources DepartmentAlso sells water to Amherst, Bedford and Campbell Counties.City of Lynchburg · Jul 1, 2026
- SewerThe cityCity Water Resources DepartmentCity of Lynchburg · Jul 1, 2026
- Trash and recycling collectionThe cityCity Public Works (Refuse)City of Lynchburg · Jul 1, 2026
- StreetsThe cityCity Public Works (Street Maintenance)City of Lynchburg · Jul 1, 2026
- LibraryThe cityLynchburg Public LibraryCity of Lynchburg · Jul 1, 2026
- Parks and recreationThe cityCity Parks and Recreation DepartmentCity of Lynchburg · Jul 1, 2026
- SchoolsSeparate districtLynchburg City SchoolsFiscally dependent on the city.City of Lynchburg · Dec 2, 2025
- BusesAnother agencyGreater Lynchburg Transit CompanyA nonprofit corporation with the city as sole stockholder.City of Lynchburg · Dec 2, 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 | LynchburgVA | PortsmouthVA | RoanokeVA | SuffolkVA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 81,347 | 96,777 | 99,111 | 104,699 |
| Top administrator's base pay | Not confirmed | $255,000 | Not confirmed | $245,000 |
| Council member pay | $10,000 | $43,000 | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| General fund per resident | $3,171 | $3,728 | $4,253 | $3,407 |
| Debt per resident | $4,475 | $4,873 | $3,489 | $5,908 |
| Unfunded pension per resident | $1,134 | $942 | $2,419 | $438 |
| City staff per 1,000 residents | 17.9 | 17.5 | 18.3 | 15.6 |
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 Lynchburg publishes
What a resident can find online today. A "no" is something you can ask the council to publish.
- Yes: Adopted budget posted onlineThe FY2027 adopted budget document is posted on the city's website. City of Lynchburg · Jul 1, 2026
- No: City manager's contract findable onlineThe city manager's page lists his duties and contact details but no contract or salary. City of Lynchburg
Questions to ask your council
- Unassigned general fund balance was $47.4 million at June 30, 2025, but the FY2027 budget projects $24.4 million at year end. How will the council keep it above the 10% minimum and move toward the 15% goal?
- The FY2027 budget uses $8.7 million of prior-year unassigned fund balance for capital projects and $753,265 to waive trash collection fees. Which of these uses are expected to continue in later years?
- The city's Virginia Retirement System plan was 80% funded, with a net pension liability of $92.2 million. What is the plan to raise the funded ratio?
- City debt was $364.0 million at June 30, 2025, and general fund debt service is $20.2 million in FY2027. How much new borrowing does the five-year capital plan assume?
The fiscal year starts July 1. The city manager introduced the FY2027 proposed budget on March 26, 2026. The council held a budget retreat on April 3 and the budget public hearing on April 23, 2026, and adopted the budget on second reading on May 26, 2026. See who is running for council
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