Finance
The Finance Department is responsible for citywide administration of financial matters, such as but not limited to, business license issuance and renewal, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, budget, financial reporting, grant accounting, and assisting customers at City Hall’s front counter. The Finance Department provides administrative and financial support to each City department and committee and regularly presents financial matters to the City Council for ongoing transparency. The Finance Director reports directly to the City Manager to provide financial data and recommendations for strategic planning and decision-making for all topics that influence the City’s financial stability.
The City of Auburn established an ordinance (Chapter 33: Finance, Licensing and Taxation) that requires every business within the City to be licensed and to pay the business license tax, as set forth in the ordinance. If you are planning on opening a business located in City of Auburn, or doing business within the City’s limits, you must obtain a business license.
Since prior to 1993, the City of Auburn has been collecting a Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) from hotels within the City limits at a rate of 8%. On November 5, 2024, voters approved Measure F on the ballot to increase hotel TOT collection from 8% to 10% and expand collections to include Short-Term Rentals within City limits at 10%. The new rates went into effect on December 9, 2024. The City’s TOT collections are administered by the City’s tax collection vendor, HdL Companies. To file and pay your taxes or learn more, click here to leave the City of Auburn’s website to visit the HdL Companies webpage.
To submit an invoice for services to be paid by the City of Auburn, vendors can either mail or email their requests to the Finance Department, 1225 Lincoln Way, Auburn CA 95603 or accountspayable@auburn.ca.gov
The City’s Municipal Code Section 31.026H. states it shall be the duty of the City Manager to prepare and submit the annual budget to the City Council. The City Manager delegates this responsibility to the Finance Department staff. In June of each year, the annual budget is recommended and subsequently approved by the City Council. The annual publications of the City’s budget book are available by clicking the Budget link.
The City is focused on providing accurate and transparent financial data to the public and utilizes the ClearGov platform as a mechanism to share data in meaningful reports. Click the banner below to visit ClearGov.
The Finance Department of the City of Auburn is committed to accurate, timely, and transparent financial reporting. California Government Code Sections 25250 and 25253 mandate local governments to issue financial statements and supporting schedules that are aligned with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). The primary annual reports we publish are the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) and the Single Audit.
The State of California requires government agencies to publish specific program and financial information to aid in fiscal transparency. The required reports are made available here and will be expanded upon as additional requirements are received.