Town Hall · Santa Maria

Santa Maria, CA town hall & government

Santa Maria spent $238.9 million in the year to June 30, 2024, about $2,170 per resident.

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

Town budget

Where Santa Maria's money goes

Spent
$238.9 million
fiscal year to June 30, 2024
Per resident
$2,170
typical California cities: $2,964
Long-term debt
$60 million
$545 per resident
Police
$48.3 million20%
Sewer & trash
$43.6 million18%
Water & other utilities
$34.3 million14%
Parks & libraries
$27.8 million12%
Fire
$22.4 million9%
Roads & transportation
$20.4 million9%
Administration & buildings
$20.3 million9%
Health & welfare
$10.5 million4%
Courts, inspections & corrections
$4.9 million2%
Housing & development
$2.5 million1%
Interest on debt
$900,000<1%
Other
$3 million1%

Where the money comes from

  • Sales taxes 28%
  • Fees & charges 23%
  • Utility sales 17%
  • Interest, fines & other 13%
  • Property taxes 9%
  • From the federal government 6%
  • From the state 3%
  • Other taxes & licenses 2%
  • From other local governments 1%
Town workforce

Who works for Santa Maria

Full-time staff
472
173 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$107,800
a year, before benefits
Sworn police officers
110
and 57 full-time firefighters
Police
148 full-time2 part
Parks & libraries
55 full-time147 part
Sewer & trash
62 full-time1 part
Fire
59 full-time1 part
Administration & buildings
48 full-time12 part
Roads & transportation
47 full-time3 part
Housing & development
19 full-time7 part
Water & other utilities
17 full-time
Courts, inspections & corrections
9 full-time
Other
8 full-time

Staff on the town's payroll in March 2022. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate.

Schools · school year 2023–24

Santa Maria Joint Union High School District

Santa Maria's high school district, shared with Guadalupe. It is its own government, with a budget separate from the town's.

Spending per pupil
$19,746
California: $21,206
Students
8,985
in the whole district
Long-term debt
$179.6 million
at year end

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

  • Local 38%
  • State 53%
  • Federal 9%

Of the $19,746 per pupil, $10,630 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 Santa Maria: Santa Maria-Bonita Elementary School District ($19,642 per pupil) · Orcutt Union Elementary School District ($15,054 per pupil).

Property tax

What homeowners in Santa Maria pay

Typical tax bill
$3,435
a year · California typical $5,124
Effective rate
0.65%
of home value · California 0.70%
Typical home value
$531,700
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 Santa Maria's government

🏛️ Official websiteci.santa-maria.ca.us ↗

Town hall & decisions in Santa Maria →

Beyond town hall

Who represents Santa Maria

Santa Maria is represented in Congress by Senators Alex Padilla and Adam B. Schiff and Representative Salud O. Carbajal. Gavin Newsom is governor.

All of Santa Maria'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.

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