City government · Etowah County, AL

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended September 30, 2023), Gadsden took in $154 million and spent $105 million.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes64%Fees for services (water, sewer)18%State tax money6.8%Federal tax money5.8%Fines and other5.3%

What stands out

28%

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

City taxes64%

Sales tax
28%$43.0 million
Property tax
18%$28.1 million
Other taxes
18%$27.0 million
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses; other licenses and 4 more
  • Occupation and business licenses$16.0 million
  • Other licenses$7.4 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$2.0 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$628 thousand
  • Motor fuel taxes$617 thousand
  • Tobacco taxes$335 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services18%

Fees for services
18%$28.1 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; sewer and 6 more
  • Water$10.7 million
  • Sewer$9.0 million
  • Other service charges$3.6 million
  • Garbage collection$3.4 million
  • Parks and recreation$1.2 million
  • Airport$110 thousand
  • Transit fares$19 thousand
  • Housing$18 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money5.8%

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

From the federal government
5.8%$8.9 million

State tax money6.8%

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

From the state
6.8%$10.5 million

Fines and other5.3%

Interest, rents and other
4.9%$7.6 million
Fines
0.3%$506 thousand

Where it goes

Running the government and other costs34%Police, fire, courts and jails22%Water, sewer, trash and utilities20%Parks, recreation and libraries8.5%Roads, transit and parking5.4%All other spending10%

What stands out

34%

of Gadsden's spending goes to running the government and other costs.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people spends 18%.

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs
34%$36.0 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 1 more
  • Other and not broken out$31.6 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$2.4 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$2.0 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
22%$22.9 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsFire protection; police and 2 more
  • Fire protection$11.3 million
  • Police$10.8 million
  • Courts and legal services$658 thousand
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$42 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
20%$20.8 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; garbage and solid waste and 1 more
  • Water supply$16.5 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$2.7 million
  • Sewer systems$1.5 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
8.5%$8.9 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$8.8 million
  • Libraries$127 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
5.4%$5.7 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and airports
  • Roads and highways$5.6 million
  • Airports$145 thousand
Housing and community development
4.1%$4.4 million
Sent to other local governments
3.3%$3.5 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$3.5 million
Interest on debt
2.7%$2.8 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$1.7 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$1.1 million
Health and hospitals
0.2%$219 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$219 thousand
Social services
0.1%$122 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$122 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Gadsden. 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 Gadsden 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.