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LaPalmaCityHallPhoto: Mike Greene · CC BY-SA 2.0
Town Hall · La Palma

La Palma spent less per resident in 2022 than 76% of similar cities

La Palma’s city government spent $13.6 million on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, about $882 per resident. Water and other utilities ($2.8 million) are counted separately.

Town website
Election Day

Today

General election in California.

Register or check: vote.gov ↗
Day-to-day spending, 2022
$13.6M
year to June 30, 2022
Per resident, 2022
$882
In 2022: $882, less than 76% of 101 similar cities
Long-term debt
$105,000
end of FY2022, reported
City staff, 2022
48
full-time · 31 part-time · March payroll $446,406
Typical tax bill
$5,959
0.61% of home value · CA 0.70%

What stands out about how La Palma is run

Read from the city’s budget, meetings and official records.

Agendas posted online2 upcoming meetings posted, with agendas.Spends less than most similar citiesIn 2022: $882 per resident, less than 76% of 101 similar cities.Runs its own water & sewer19% of day-to-day spending goes to water, sewer and trash (2022).A shared school districtShares Anaheim Union High School District with 6+ other towns.
★ What stands out · Meetings

2 upcoming meetings at town hall

From La Palma’s own agenda portal, checked daily. Agendas can change up to the meeting, so check before you go.

Recent meetings

Go in person

Most meetings are open to the public, and many have a public comment period at the start.

Agenda portal ↗
Your share of the 2022 budget

About $882 per resident a year, or $2.42 a day

Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: police, at 40%.

Where the money comes from
Sales taxes 23%Property taxes 23%Utility sales 18%From the state 16%Other taxes & licenses 14%Fees & charges 5%From other local governments 1%Interest, fines & other 1%
Not in the receipt.Building projects $2 million; interest on debt $5,000; payments to other governments $269,000. With these and the enterprises, the whole budget was $18.7 million.
Compared with similar places

$882 per resident in 2022: less than 76% of them

La Palma’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($882 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 101 California cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $1,385, and the middle half spent $906–$1,910. La Palma spent less than 76% of them.

Middle half of the group, $906–$1,910Median $1,385La Palma

Includes sewer and trash ($349,000), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →

The group
101

California cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; La Palma itself left out).

Over the years

No trend yet

La Palma reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $5,959 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.61% of the home’s value, vs 0.70% across California.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Cypress$6,066
La Palma$5,959
Cerritos$5,711
Lakewood$5,318
California$5,124
Buena Park$4,926
$5,959
typical bill a year
0.61%
effective rate
$973,600
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at La Palma’s rate.

Can I afford it? →

The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Tax bills are one input to La Palma’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in La Palma →

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in La Palma

Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.

See cityoflapalma.org for La Palma’s current officialsWe name an official only when a public source lists a current term. None does for La Palma yet.cityoflapalma.org ↗
Who works for La Palma

One full-time city employee for every 321 residents

On the payroll in March 2022, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2022 finance file (15,415).

By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2022

Police26 + 8 pt
Parks & libraries6 + 18 pt
Administration & buildings6 + 5 pt
Water & other utilities5
Roads & transportation3
Housing & development2
48
full-time
31
part-time
$446,406
payroll for March 2022
$5.4M
a year, estimated (March × 12)
$102,000
average full-time pay, before benefits (March × 12)
19
sworn police officers
Compared, 2022.La Palma had 3.1 full-time staff per 1,000 residents in March 2022. The median for the 79 of the 101 California cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools that reported 2022 staff was 4.7: La Palma had fewer than 78% of them. Same group and year as the budget comparison.

The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.

The school district

Anaheim Union High School District

La Palma’s middle and high school district, shared with Cypress, Los Alamitos, Orange, Stanton, Anaheim and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in La Palma →
$20,079
per pupil · CA $21,206
27,195
students
$209.4 million
long-term debt

Of the $20,079 per pupil, $11,883 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.

The district: schools, scores and graduation →

Where the district’s money comes from
Local 32%State 57%Federal 11%

California districts overall: 36% local, 52% state, 11% federal.

Also serving La Palma

Centralia Elementary School District · $17,416 per pupil

Fullerton Joint Union High School District · $17,606 per pupil

Buena Park Elementary School District · $21,064 per pupil

School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.

Elections · 2024 general election

La Palma’s votes are counted by county

California reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for La Palma alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Orange County’s results.

President · Orange County’s results1,390,474 votes · results as certified
Kamala D HarrisKamala D HarrisDemocrat49.7%691,577 votes
Donald J TrumpDonald J TrumpRepublican47.1%654,494 votes

Others: 3.2% (44,403 votes).

Most votes in Orange County: Kamala D Harris

California: Harris 58.5%, Trump 38.3%

The county’s page

100% of La Palma lies in Orange County. Every 2024 race in Orange County is on the county’s page.

Orange County’s 2024 results →
DemocratRepublicanLibertarianIndependent / other

Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.

Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.

Who represents La Palma

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for La Palma.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
    Officials: cityoflapalma.org ↗
  2. 2
    California AssemblyState representatives
    Sharon Quirk-Silva
  3. 3
    California SenateState senator
    Tony Strickland
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
    Gavin Newsom
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
    Derek Tran
  6. 6
    U.S. SenateBoth represent all of California
    Alex PadillaAdam B. Schiff

Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.

Next door

How La Palma compares with the towns next door

La Palma spent $882 per resident in 2022; the 4 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $887 to $1,469. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.

Buena Park: $958 per resident (2022)Cerritos: $1,469 per resident (2022)Cypress: $926 per resident (2022)Lakewood: $887 per resident (2022)Buena ParkCerritosCypressLakewoodLa Palma
Spends the leastSpends the mostEstimate or no figures
TownDay-to-day, per resident (2022)Tax bill
Lakewood$887$5,318
Cypress$926$6,066
Buena Park$958$4,926
Cerritos$1,469$5,711
La Palma$882$5,959

Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).

Reach La Palma’s government

The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.

The Handbook →
Official websitecityoflapalma.org ↗

Questions about La Palma’s government

How much does La Palma spend per resident?

About $882 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $882 was less than 76% of 101 California cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in La Palma?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $5,959 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.61% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.70% across California. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see cityoflapalma.org.

Who runs La Palma’s government?

See cityoflapalma.org for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for La Palma yet.

How did La Palma vote in 2024?

California counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for La Palma alone. Orange County, where 100% of La Palma lies, voted Harris 49.7%, Trump 47.1% for president; its page has every race.

How many people work for La Palma?

48 full-time and 31 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $446,406 (about $5.4M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.

Who represents La Palma in the state legislature?

State Senate District 36 (Tony Strickland) and Assembly District 67 (Sharon Quirk-Silva). The Assembly district also covers seven other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

When is the next public meeting in La Palma?

The next posted meeting is City Council on Tuesday, November 10, at 6:30 pm in 7822 Walker Street, from the city’s own agenda portal.

Ask neighbors about La Palma’s government

Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.

Town Square →
Ask neighbors

Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →