Overview
Modesto's FY 2026-27 adopted budget sets total city operating expense for all funds at $674,949,897, according to the City Manager's budget message. The General Fund proforma balances exactly: revenues of $215,635,182 against expenses of $215,635,182. The message notes that General Fund revenues include $15.16 million of Measure H funding used to cover the structural deficit, and that public safety (Police and Fire) totals $179.4 million, or 83.2% of General Fund resources. The budget funds 1,447.75 positions.
Source: City of Modesto FY 2026-2027 Adopted Budget book, City Manager's message and General Fund proforma.
At a glance — FY 2026-27 adopted
Source: City of Modesto FY 2026-2027 Adopted Budget book, City Manager's message, General Fund proforma, and City Profile.
General Fund — FY 2026-27 proforma
General Fund operating revenues of $212,233,205 plus transfers in of $3,401,977 equal total revenues of $215,635,182. On the expense side, department expenses of $230,632,834 are reduced by closing-the-shortfall adjustments of $1,841,265 and a variance-rate adjustment of $17,990,864, then increased by transfers out of $4,834,477, arriving at total expenses of $215,635,182 — a balanced proforma with a $0 net.
| General Fund revenue | FY 2026-27 |
|---|---|
| Operating revenues | $212,233,205 |
| Transfers in | $3,401,977 |
| Total revenues | $215,635,182 |
Measure H inside the General Fund: the budget message states $15.16 million of Measure H funding covers the structural deficit, comprising $13,164,984 of Measure H sales tax plus an additional $2,000,000, for $15,164,984. Total FY 2026-27 Measure H spending across funds is $50,937,690 (budget message); the Measure H fund row shows expenses of $42,538,470 against revenues of $50,189,547.
| General Fund department expenses | FY 2026-27 |
|---|---|
| Police | $98,645,231 |
| Fire | $61,783,295 |
| Oakdale Fire Contract | $7,319,827 |
| Ceres Fire Contract | $8,433,578 |
| Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Contract | $427,416 |
| Turlock Fire Contract | $361,148 |
| Salida Fire Contract | $2,390,619 |
| Parks, Recreation and Neighborhoods | $18,325,331 |
| Community and Economic Development | $9,408,637 |
| Engineering Services | $3,203,396 |
| City Council | $1,021,852 |
| City Manager's Office | $3,314,914 |
| Human Resources | $2,412,352 |
| City Attorney | $2,122,624 |
| City Clerk | $1,362,016 |
| Office of Performance Management & Budget | $1,375,199 |
| City Auditor | $347,823 |
| Finance | $7,927,590 |
| Non-Departmental | $449,989 |
| Total department expenses (as printed) | $230,632,834 |
| Less: closing-the-shortfall adjustments | −$1,841,265 |
| Less: variance-rate adjustment | −$17,990,864 |
| Plus: transfers out | $4,834,477 |
| Total expenses | $215,635,182 |
Disclosed: the department rows above sum to $230,632,837, $3 above the book's printed department total of $230,632,834; the walk uses the printed total, so it reconciles exactly to $215,635,182.
Source: City of Modesto FY 2026-2027 Adopted Budget book, General Fund proforma and City Manager's message (Measure H).
All funds — Fund Summary view
The book's Fund Summary presents a broader total than the budget message's operating-expense total: total proposed expense of $920,478,583, built from operating expense of $660,362,751, new CIP of $57,710,063, transfers out of $65,067,177, and a further $137,338,592 component as printed in the Fund Summary's total row; the four sum exactly to $920,478,583. Total revenue in the Fund Summary is $790,033,186 (its extracted components sum to $790,033,182, a $4 difference, disclosed above). The Fund Summary's General Fund row shows total proposed expense of $237,225,323 (operating $230,470,796 + $1,928,570 + transfers out $4,825,957) and total revenue of $217,202,020 (operating revenue $197,183,057 + transfers in $20,018,963). That presentation differs from the proforma's balanced $215,635,182 and is shown here only as the Fund Summary prints it, not merged with the proforma.
| Fund Summary total | FY 2026-27 |
|---|---|
| Total proposed expense | $920,478,583 |
| Total revenue (as printed) | $790,033,186 |
| Budget-message all-funds operating expense | $674,949,897 |
Source: City of Modesto FY 2026-2027 Adopted Budget book, Fund Summary and City Manager's message.
Debt & positions
The budget book contains Debt Service Schedules, a Debt Limits section, Annual Payments by Source, and a Bond Rating section, but no single "total outstanding" debt figure was extracted from the book via the retrieval route used here, so no outstanding-debt total is claimed on this page. Total positions are 1,447.75 (1,439.75 starting + 10.00 new − 2.00 reclassified). Median household income in the City Profile is $79,891 (context only, not a budget figure).
Source: City of Modesto FY 2026-2027 Adopted Budget book, debt sections, position summary, and City Profile.
Sources & notes
- Only source used: City of Modesto FY 2026-2027 Adopted Budget book (363 pages). Read the budget book.
- Sum checks: General Fund operating revenues $212,233,205 + transfers in $3,401,977 = $215,635,182; department expenses $230,632,834 − $1,841,265 − $17,990,864 + $4,834,477 = $215,635,182; Fund Summary expense components $660,362,751 + $57,710,063 + $137,338,592 + $65,067,177 = $920,478,583.
- Disclosed, not smoothed: (1) department rows sum to $230,632,837, $3 above the printed $230,632,834 — the printed total governs the walk; (2) Fund Summary revenue components sum to $790,033,182, $4 below the printed $790,033,186 — the printed total governs; (3) the Fund Summary General Fund view ($237,225,323 / $217,202,020) is a different presentation from the proforma's balanced $215,635,182 and is not merged with it; (4) no total outstanding debt figure is claimed.
- Fiscal-year label: FY 2026-27 (July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027); adopted June 2, 2026, per the budget calendar in the book (adoption of the proposed budget via resolution).
- Jurisdiction palette: no verified City of Modesto palette was on file, so this page uses the neutral Hometown Numbers dark-glass theme rather than a city color.