City government · Lee County, AL

Auburn's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended September 30, 2023), Auburn took in $218 million and spent $181 million.

Latest recorded year: ended September 30, 2023Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

City taxes67%Fees for services (water, sewer)18%Fines and other8.2%County and local tax money3.4%Federal tax money2.6%State tax money0.9%

What stands out

36%

of Auburn's money comes from sales tax.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 7.8%.

City taxes67%

Sales tax
36%$79.1 million
Property tax
19%$42.4 million
Other taxes
11%$24.2 million
What's in other taxesOther licenses; other selective sales taxes and 4 more
  • Other licenses$17.4 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$5.1 million
  • Public utility taxes$836 thousand
  • Motor fuel taxes$501 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$371 thousand
  • Tobacco taxes$44 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services18%

Fees for services
18%$39.3 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; sewer and 4 more
  • Water$14.0 million
  • Sewer$13.3 million
  • Garbage collection$5.7 million
  • Other service charges$3.9 million
  • Parks and recreation$1.5 million
  • Parking$972 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money2.6%

Grants from Washington, paid for by the federal taxes residents also pay.

From the federal government
2.6%$5.7 million

State tax money0.9%

Money the state passes on, paid for by the state taxes residents also pay.

From the state
0.9%$2.1 million

County and local tax money3.4%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
3.4%$7.4 million

Fines and other8.2%

Interest, rents and other
7.8%$17.0 million
Fines
0.4%$938 thousand

Where it goes

Running the government and other costs30%Police, fire, courts and jails17%Parks, recreation and libraries16%Water, sewer, trash and utilities15%Roads, transit and parking12%All other spending9.7%

What stands out

16%

of Auburn's spending goes to parks, recreation and libraries.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 6.4%.

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs
30%$54.5 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; government buildings and 3 more
  • Other and not broken out$30.5 million
  • Government buildings$19.9 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$2.2 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.9 million
  • Other government-run businesses$52 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
17%$30.8 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$18.4 million
  • Fire protection$9.4 million
  • Inspections and regulation$1.6 million
  • Courts and legal services$1.3 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
16%$29.3 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$26.4 million
  • Libraries$2.9 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
15%$27.4 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; sewer systems and 1 more
  • Water supply$13.4 million
  • Sewer systems$7.4 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$6.7 million
Roads, transit and parking
12%$21.5 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and parking
  • Roads and highways$20.7 million
  • Parking$730 thousand
Interest on debt
4.1%$7.4 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$6.6 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$876 thousand
Social services
2.3%$4.2 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$4.2 million
Sent to other local governments
1.5%$2.6 million
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to local governments: other and not broken out and sent to the state government
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$2.2 million
  • Sent to the state government$435 thousand
Housing and community development
0.8%$1.4 million
Environment and natural resources
0.5%$958 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$958 thousand
Health and hospitals
0.5%$842 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$842 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Auburn. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended September 30, 2023.

What this covers. The money of City of Auburn itself. Other governments that serve the same area (the city, county, school district and state) are separate and not included. Borrowing, transfers between a government's own funds, and pension trust funds are not counted as revenue.