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Public Funds Tracker

Following every penny through Solano County public agencies

Our Mission

Every public dollar spent in Solano County should be trackable, transparent, and accountable to the people it serves.

What We Track

✓ Municipal budgets & expenditures
✓ County government spending
✓ Special district finances
✓ School district budgets
✓ Development & impact fees
✓ Grant & program funding

Currently building

3 phases

We're compiling financial data across Solano County's public agencies — systematic collection and verification from many sources.

  1. Data collection

    Underway

    Gathering budget documents, financial reports, and expenditure records from all jurisdictions.

  2. Data standardization

    Next

    Converting different formats into comparable, searchable data.

  3. Visualization tools

    Planned

    Building interactive charts and search tools for public use.

Early insights

preliminary

Even with partial data, clear patterns are emerging in how public money moves through the county.

Budget transparency varies
Some cities publish detailed, accessible budget documents; others offer minimal public information.
Special districts add complexity
Overlapping districts create layers of taxation and spending that are difficult to trace.
Development fees vary widely
Similar projects face dramatically different fee structures across jurisdictions.
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How You Can Participate

This effort requires community involvement. Public financial transparency works best when citizens are engaged and holding their governments accountable.

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Submit Documents

Have access to budget documents, financial reports, or spending records? Share them with us.

Send Documents →
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Attend Budget Meetings

Public budget hearings and city council meetings provide opportunities to ask questions and request information.

Find Meetings →
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File Public Records Requests

The California Public Records Act gives you the right to access government financial information.

Get Help →
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Volunteer Research

Help us collect, organize, and analyze financial data from across the county.

Volunteer →
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Spread Awareness

Share our work with neighbors, community groups, and local organizations who care about transparency.

Share →
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Ask Questions

Contact us with specific questions about public spending that you'd like us to investigate.

Ask Away →

City Budget Comparison

General fund revenue and expenditure for FY2024-25.

Last updated: 2026-03-12. Source: adopted budget documents from each city's finance department.

City Population Revenue Expenditure Balance Per Capita
Fairfield
 119881 $168.2M $165.8M +$2.4M $1383
Vallejo
 121692 $152.7M $158.3M $-5.6M $1301
Vacaville
 103590 $131.4M $128.9M +$2.5M $1244

Where the Money Goes

Fairfield

Public Safety $78.4M (47.3%)
Community Development $18.2M (11.0%)
Public Works $16.9M (10.2%)
Parks & Recreation $14.1M (8.5%)
General Government $22.7M (13.7%)
Source →

Vallejo

Public Safety $82.1M (51.9%)
Public Works $15.3M (9.7%)
Community Development $11.8M (7.5%)
General Government $19.4M (12.3%)
Parks & Recreation $8.2M (5.2%)

Vallejo emerged from Chapter 9 bankruptcy in 2011. Budget reflects ongoing fiscal recovery and pension cost pressures.

Source →

Vacaville

Public Safety $61.8M (47.9%)
Community Services $14.7M (11.4%)
Public Works $12.3M (9.5%)
General Government $17.2M (13.3%)
Community Development $9.8M (7.6%)
Source →

Where the Money Comes From

Fairfield

Sales Tax $52.3M (31.1%)
Property Tax $41.8M (24.9%)
Other Taxes $28.6M (17.0%)
Charges for Services $18.9M (11.2%)

Vallejo

Sales Tax $44.1M (28.9%)
Property Tax $38.6M (25.3%)
Measure B Sales Tax $15.2M (10.0%)
Utility Users Tax $12.8M (8.4%)

Vacaville

Sales Tax $45.2M (34.4%)
Property Tax $33.1M (25.2%)
Other Taxes $18.4M (14.0%)
Charges for Services $14.2M (10.8%)

Related Analysis

Explore our existing research on public finances and government spending in Solano County.

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Municipal Budgets

City budget analysis and transparency

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Impact Fees

Development impact fees and assessments

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Infrastructure

Public works and infrastructure funding

Stay Informed

Get updates as we publish new financial analysis and transparency tools.

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