City government · Jefferson County, AL

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended September 30, 2023), Bessemer took in $173 million and spent $137 million.

Latest recorded year: ended September 30, 2023Estimated by the U.S. Census BureauComes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

City taxes43%Fees for services (electric power, water)42%Fines and other7.9%State tax money6.7%Federal tax money0.8%

What stands out

26%

of Bessemer's money comes from sales tax.Most U.S. cities of 10,000 to 50,000 people get none.

City taxes43%

Sales tax
26%$45.4 million
Individual income tax
6.2%$10.8 million
Property tax
5.8%$10.1 million
Other taxes
4.6%$7.9 million
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses; other licenses and 5 more
  • Occupation and business licenses$4.9 million
  • Other licenses$939 thousand
  • Motor fuel taxes$905 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$624 thousand
  • Public utility taxes$306 thousand
  • Motor vehicle licenses$149 thousand
  • Tobacco taxes$45 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services42%

Fees for services
42%$72.2 million
What's in fees for servicesElectric power; water and 5 more
  • Electric power$41.3 million
  • Water$23.9 million
  • Airport$3.0 million
  • Other service charges$2.4 million
  • Parks and recreation$1.3 million
  • Sewer$189 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$119 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money0.8%

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

From the federal government
0.8%$1.4 million

State tax money6.7%

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

From the state
6.7%$11.6 million

Fines and other7.9%

Interest, rents and other
7.9%$13.7 million

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities41%Police, fire, courts and jails23%Running the government and other costs15%Housing and community development12%Roads, transit and parking3.8%All other spending6.4%

What stands out

12%

of Bessemer's spending goes to housing and community development.Most U.S. cities of 10,000 to 50,000 people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
41%$56.4 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesElectric power; water supply and 1 more
  • Electric power$39.6 million
  • Water supply$16.6 million
  • Sewer systems$226 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
23%$31.0 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 1 more
  • Police$14.1 million
  • Fire protection$13.8 million
  • Courts and legal services$3.2 million
Running the government and other costs
15%$20.0 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$7.8 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$6.3 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$5.0 million
  • Other government-run businesses$866 thousand
Housing and community development
12%$15.8 million
Roads, transit and parking
3.8%$5.2 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingAirports
  • Airports$5.2 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
2.8%$3.9 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$3.9 million
Health and hospitals
1.9%$2.5 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$2.5 million
Interest on debt
1.7%$2.4 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Bessemer. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended September 30, 2023. Most of this government's figures were estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau from a sample; the government did not report them itself.

What this covers. The money of City of Bessemer 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.