Know the job
City decisions show up in our bills, streets, parks, and neighborhoods. This is what the job is actually responsible for.
The City Council
Five councilmembers vote on laws, the budget, land use, contracts, and policy. They hire and oversee the City Manager. One councilmember acting alone can’t direct staff.
The City Manager
The City Manager implements Council direction, prepares and monitors the budget, and supervises departments and staff.
Put it to the test
Choose a situation to see who actually has the power to solve it.
Who is in charge?
Banning oversees local streets, streetlights, sidewalks, crossings, drainage, and capital repairs.
City responsibilities
Zoning, the General Plan, building approvals, housing programs, development agreements, and what developers contribute.
Local streets, sidewalks, crossings, drainage, traffic signals, street maintenance, and capital projects.
Banning owns its electric utility. City leadership oversees rates, reliability, billing, capital needs, and financial controls.
Water and sewer operations, infrastructure, rates, maintenance, and long-term system planning.
City parks, the pool, community facilities, youth and senior programming, recreation, and public spaces.
The Police Department, code enforcement, animal control, emergency planning, and a contract with Riverside County Fire.
Local fixed-route transit, Dial-A-Ride, the municipal airport, and oversight of solid-waste services.
The City budget, contracts, staffing, business licenses, economic-development agreements, and public investments.
Clear limits
A strong councilmember builds partnerships and advocates for results, but doesn’t pretend the office has powers it doesn’t have.
