How Manassas is run
Who runs Manassas, 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 Manassas's own public documents. Every number links to its source and says which year it describes. Checked Oct 10, 2026.
Who runs Manassas
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
Manassas city staff
559 full-time-equivalent positions, including Police 138, Utilities (water, sewer, electric, stormwater) 99, Fire and rescue 76, Public works 59, Health and human services 46. FY2026-27 (adopted budget). City of Manassas · Jul 1, 2026
The adopted budget publishes pay ranges (minimum, midpoint, maximum) for every job title; we found no pay list by employee. We name pay only for elected officials and the city manager.
Is Manassas 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: $33.4M (2025-06-30). The city's own target: Unassigned general fund balance must be at least 15% of actual general fund operating revenues. At June 30, 2025 it was 20%. The city meets this target. City of Manassas · Dec 1, 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
- General property taxes$115M · 62%
- Other local taxes$29.6M · 16%
- Use of fund balance$17M · 9%
- State of Virginia$13.9M · 7%
- Other local sources$3.7M · 2%
- Other financing sources$2.8M · 2%
- Other (permits, fines, interest, charges, federal)$3.8M · 2%
Goes to (FY2026-27)
- Schools (operating transfer)$67.3M · 36%
- Non-departmental$38.7M · 21%
- Police$27.6M · 15%
- Shared services with Prince William County$15M · 8%
- Public works$11.3M · 6%
- Community development$8.1M · 4%
- Other departments$17.3M · 9%
Your property tax bill: who gets it
Manassas is an independent city, so there is no county property tax. The city funds its schools from the general fund. Homes in the Owens Brooke special taxing district pay another $0.068.
100¢
of each property-tax dollar goes to the city of Manassas
- City of Manassas (general fund, including schools)1.05 · 85%
- Manassas Fire and Rescue District levy0.19 · 15%
- Total ($ per $100 of assessed value)1.24
Tax year 2027 real estate rates for a home in the City of Manassas. City of Manassas · Jun 8, 2026
See what a Manassas house pays, line by line →Who provides your services
Not everything in Manassas is run by the city. Who provides a service decides whose budget pays for it and whose election decides it.
- PoliceThe cityManassas City Police DepartmentCity of Manassas · Dec 1, 2025
- 911 dispatchThe cityPolice Department Communications CenterCity of Manassas · Jul 1, 2026
- ElectricityThe cityCity UtilitiesCity of Manassas · Dec 1, 2025
- WaterThe cityCity UtilitiesCity of Manassas · Dec 1, 2025
- SewerThe cityCity (collection); Upper Occoquan Sewage Authority (treatment)The city holds a 17.0172% share of the regional authority's treatment capacity.City of Manassas · Dec 1, 2025
- Trash and recyclingThe cityCity Solid Waste division (contracted collection)City of Manassas · Jul 1, 2026
- StormwaterThe cityCity UtilitiesCity of Manassas · Dec 1, 2025
- StreetsThe cityCity Public WorksCity of Manassas · Dec 1, 2025
- Parks and recreationThe cityCity Parks, Culture and RecreationCity of Manassas · Dec 1, 2025
- AirportThe cityManassas Regional Airport (city-owned)City of Manassas · Dec 1, 2025
- Bus serviceAnother agencyPotomac Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC)City of Manassas · Jul 1, 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 | PetersburgVA | DanvilleVA | ManassasVA | HarrisonburgVA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 33,734 | 41,647 | 44,332 | 50,839 |
| Top administrator's base pay | Not confirmed | $256,404 | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Council member pay | Not confirmed | $34,000 | $18,000 | $18,000 |
| General fund per resident | $3,551 | $4,662 | $4,181 | $3,440 |
| Debt per resident | $3,960 | $6,257 | $4,036 | $4,067 |
| Unfunded pension per resident | $144 | $-48 | $713 | $451 |
| City staff per 1,000 residents | 20.5 | 30.0 | 12.6 | 15.3 |
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 Manassas 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 timeThe FY2025 audited report, with the auditor's report dated December 1, 2025, is posted on the city's Accounting Division page. City of Manassas
- Yes: Adopted budget posted onlineThe FY2027 adopted budget, its sections and the Budget in Brief are posted on the Budget Division page. City of Manassas
- No: City manager's contract findable onlineThe City Manager's Office page describes the role but gives no contract or salary. City of Manassas
- Partly: Council votes recorded member by member online City of Manassas · Jun 8, 2026
- Yes: Meeting videos and minutes onlineThe Council Meeting Center posts agendas, minutes and archived council meeting videos. City of Manassas
- Partly: Council pay stated in a public document WTOP News · Sep 9, 2025
- Partly: Employee pay published City of Manassas · May 11, 2026
Questions to ask your council
- Unassigned general fund balance was $33.4 million at June 30, 2025, or 20% of revenue against a 15% minimum. How far above the minimum does the council intend to stay?
- Council pay rises from $18,000 to $34,000 and mayor pay from $20,000 to $37,000 on July 1, 2027. How was the new level chosen?
The fiscal year starts July 1. The city manager presented the FY2027 proposed budget on February 23, 2026. The budget public hearing was April 27, 2026, and the council adopted the budget on May 11, 2026. See who is running for council
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