Town Hall · Petaluma

Petaluma, CA town hall & government

Petaluma spent $143 million in the year to June 30, 2023, about $2,407 per resident.

Where the money goes, where it comes from, property taxes, and how to reach Petaluma's government.

Town budget

Where Petaluma's money goes

Spent
$143 million
fiscal year to June 30, 2023
Per resident
$2,407
typical California cities: $2,457
Long-term debt
$124.9 million
$2,102 per resident
Roads & transportation
$35 million24%
Police
$28.3 million20%
Fire
$16 million11%
Water & other utilities
$15.7 million11%
Sewer & trash
$14.3 million10%
Parks & libraries
$8.7 million6%
Administration & buildings
$6.8 million5%
Health & welfare
$6.1 million4%
Housing & development
$6 million4%
Interest on debt
$4 million3%
Other
$2.2 million2%

Where the money comes from

  • Fees & charges 27%
  • Sales taxes 16%
  • Other taxes & licenses 15%
  • Utility sales 11%
  • Property taxes 11%
  • Interest, fines & other 10%
  • From the state 6%
  • From the federal government 3%
  • From other local governments 1%
Town workforce

Who works for Petaluma

Full-time staff
383
42 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$138,600
a year, before benefits
Sworn police officers
61
and 61 full-time firefighters
Police
98 full-time6 part
Fire
69 full-time11 part
Administration & buildings
49 full-time2 part
Roads & transportation
45 full-time6 part
Water & other utilities
40 full-time
Sewer & trash
38 full-time
Parks & libraries
22 full-time17 part
Housing & development
17 full-time
Courts, inspections & corrections
5 full-time

Staff on the town's payroll in March 2025. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate.

Schools · school year 2023–24

Old Adobe Union Elementary School District

Petaluma's elementary school district. It is its own government, with a budget separate from the town's.

Spending per pupil
$19,622
California: $21,206
Students
1,830
in the whole district
Long-term debt
$47 million
at year end

Where the district's money comes from California districts overall: 36% local, 52% state, 11% federal

  • Local 51%
  • State 44%
  • Federal 5%

Of the $19,622 per pupil, $13,313 goes to classroom instruction (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to support services such as buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren't in the per-pupil figure.

Also serving Petaluma: Waugh Elementary School District ($14,794 per pupil).

Property tax

What homeowners in Petaluma pay

Typical tax bill
$5,720
a year · California typical $5,124
Effective rate
0.65%
of home value · California 0.70%
Typical home value
$878,600
owner-occupied

The median yearly bill homeowners report, covering every local property tax on the home (town, schools, county). The effective rate is that bill divided by the median home value, so it's a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Local

Contact Petaluma's government

🏛️ Official websitecityofpetaluma.org ↗

Town hall & decisions in Petaluma →

Beyond town hall

Who represents Petaluma

Petaluma is represented in Congress by Senators Alex Padilla and Adam B. Schiff and Representative Jared Huffman. Gavin Newsom is governor.

All of Petaluma's representatives, with contacts →

Budget: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Finance (every city and town government's revenue, spending and debt, grouped into plain categories). Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

You’re browsing

Petaluma

California · CA
View town boundary →
Township / city / CDP overlaps possible.
Loading boundary…

Petaluma is your selected town. The feed includes posts assigned to this town, not a distance radius or ZIP code.

Neighborhoods narrow the feed further, while townwide announcements, events, and issues remain visible.

Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01