Auditing Santa Clara
The Ledger's review of Santa Clara's budgets, audits, debt and redevelopment money.
The full audit section: stories by subject, key figures and records →
Background
Auditing Santa Clara: What the city's budget and audit records show
Auditing Santa Clara follows the city's money through its own budgets, audits and council votes. The council adopted a fiscal 2027 budget with a $12,034,290 General Fund in June 2026, and the city's auditor gave its fiscal 2025 statements an unmodified opinion with no reported findings.
Read the explainer →Latest update · October 17, 2026
Santa Clara approves five-year schedule of water rate increases
On June 24, 2026, the Santa Clara City Council voted 4-0 for a water rate increase. The proposal in the packet raises each of six tier rates by 20 to 60 cents for 2026-27 and 2027-28, with a further 10 cents per tier from 2028-29 through 2030-31.
Timeline
Latest updates
- Politics
Santa Clara approves five-year schedule of water rate increases
On June 24, 2026, the Santa Clara City Council voted 4-0 for a water rate increase. The proposal in the packet raises each of six tier rates by 20 to 60 cents for 2026-27 and 2027-28, with a further 10 cents per tier from 2028-29 through 2030-31.
- Politics
Santa Clara's fire budget rises to $4.3 million; the city manager puts Ivins's share at about 57%
Santa Clara's fiscal 2027 budget raises the fire department budget from about $3.3 million to $4.3 million for three new firefighters and a second wildland crew. The city manager said the cost split with Ivins is about 43% Santa Clara and 57% Ivins.
- Politics
Santa Clara's fiscal 2025 audit reports no findings
Squire & Company gave Santa Clara's fiscal 2025 statements an unmodified opinion and reported no material weaknesses, significant deficiencies or compliance findings. The audit was presented in a May 2026 council packet, and the city's finance page lists the fiscal 2023-24 audit as its most recent.