City government · Houston County, AL

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended September 30, 2023), Dothan took in $275 million and spent $272 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Fees for services (electric power, sewer)54%City taxes41%Fines and other2.5%State tax money1.1%County and local tax money1.0%Federal tax money0.5%

What stands out

34%

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

City taxes41%

Sales tax
34%$94.6 million
Other taxes
4.8%$13.2 million
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses; other selective sales taxes and 5 more
  • Occupation and business licenses$4.4 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$3.9 million
  • Public utility taxes$1.7 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$1.4 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$999 thousand
  • Other licenses$624 thousand
  • Tobacco taxes$181 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
1.7%$4.7 million

Fees for services54%

Fees for services
54%$149 million
What's in fees for servicesElectric power; sewer and 4 more
  • Electric power$103 million
  • Sewer$22.9 million
  • Water$12.5 million
  • Parks and recreation$5.0 million
  • Garbage collection$4.5 million
  • Other service charges$1.0 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money0.5%

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

From the federal government
0.5%$1.5 million

State tax money1.1%

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

From the state
1.1%$2.9 million

County and local tax money1.0%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
1.0%$2.6 million

Fines and other2.5%

Interest, rents and other
2.1%$5.7 million
Fines
0.4%$1.2 million

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities49%Police, fire, courts and jails21%Running the government and other costs12%Parks, recreation and libraries9.4%Roads, transit and parking5.5%All other spending3.3%

What stands out

49%

of Dothan's spending goes to water, sewer, trash and other utilities.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 20%.

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
49%$133 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesElectric power; sewer systems and 2 more
  • Electric power$85.0 million
  • Sewer systems$30.6 million
  • Water supply$9.1 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$8.4 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
21%$58.5 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 3 more
  • Police$28.6 million
  • Fire protection$23.0 million
  • Inspections and regulation$2.5 million
  • Prisons and jails$2.3 million
  • Courts and legal services$2.2 million
Running the government and other costs
12%$31.4 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$13.7 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$9.8 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$4.5 million
  • Government buildings$3.5 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
9.4%$25.6 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$25.6 million
Roads, transit and parking
5.5%$14.9 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$14.9 million
Sent to other local governments
1.8%$4.8 million
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to local governments: other and not broken out
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$4.8 million
Interest on debt
0.6%$1.7 million
Health and hospitals
0.5%$1.3 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$1.3 million
Housing and community development
0.3%$778 thousand
Social services
<0.1%$261 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$261 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Dothan. 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 Dothan 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.