Town Hall · Watsonville

Watsonville, CA town hall & government

Watsonville spent $141.6 million in the year to June 30, 2024, about $2,748 per resident.

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

Town budget

Where Watsonville's money goes

Spent
$141.6 million
fiscal year to June 30, 2024
Per resident
$2,748
typical California cities: $2,964
Long-term debt
$12.6 million
$245 per resident
Sewer & trash
$32.7 million23%
Police
$28.8 million20%
Water & other utilities
$15.1 million11%
Administration & buildings
$14 million10%
Roads & transportation
$12.1 million9%
Fire
$11.9 million8%
Parks & libraries
$11 million8%
Health & welfare
$1.7 million1%
Courts, inspections & corrections
$1.6 million1%
Housing & development
$1.2 million1%
Interest on debt
$404,000<1%
Other
$11 million8%

Where the money comes from

  • Fees & charges 29%
  • Property taxes 13%
  • Interest, fines & other 13%
  • Utility sales 13%
  • Sales taxes 13%
  • Other taxes & licenses 12%
  • From the state 4%
  • From the federal government 3%
  • From other local governments <1%
Town workforce

Who works for Watsonville

Full-time staff
415
75 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$104,900
a year, before benefits
Sworn police officers
71
and 35 full-time firefighters
Police
87 full-time2 part
Parks & libraries
53 full-time62 part
Sewer & trash
78 full-time5 part
Administration & buildings
44 full-time3 part
Water & other utilities
43 full-time1 part
Roads & transportation
41 full-time2 part
Fire
37 full-time
Housing & development
23 full-time
Other
9 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

Pajaro Valley Joint Unified School District

Watsonville's K–12 school district. It is its own government, with a budget separate from the town's.

Spending per pupil
$22,477
California: $21,206
Students
17,013
in the whole district
Long-term debt
$202.7 million
at year end

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

  • Local 29%
  • State 58%
  • Federal 13%

Of the $22,477 per pupil, $12,551 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.

Property tax

What homeowners in Watsonville pay

Typical tax bill
$4,375
a year · California typical $5,124
Effective rate
0.64%
of home value · California 0.70%
Typical home value
$686,000
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 Watsonville's government

🏛️ Official websiteci.watsonville.ca.us ↗

Town hall & decisions in Watsonville →

Beyond town hall

Who represents Watsonville

Watsonville is represented in Congress by Senators Alex Padilla and Adam B. Schiff and Representatives Zoe Lofgren and Jimmy Panetta. Gavin Newsom is governor.

All of Watsonville'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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Watsonville

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