City government · Jefferson County, AL

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended September 30, 2023), Gardendale took in $28.5 million and spent $23.8 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 taxes85%State tax money8.6%Fines and other4.1%Fees for services (parks and recreation)2.8%

What stands out

59%

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

City taxes85%

Sales tax
59%$16.7 million
Other taxes
18%$5.3 million
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses; public utility taxes and 1 more
  • Occupation and business licenses$2.8 million
  • Public utility taxes$2.1 million
  • Other licenses$305 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
7.5%$2.1 million

Fees for services2.8%

Fees for services
2.8%$800 thousand
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges and parks and recreation
  • Other service charges$540 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$260 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

State tax money8.6%

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

From the state
8.6%$2.4 million

Fines and other4.1%

Interest, rents and other
2.4%$690 thousand
Fines
1.7%$480 thousand

Where it goes

Running the government and other costs37%Police, fire, courts and jails35%Parks, recreation and libraries13%Roads, transit and parking8.2%Interest on debt7.1%

What stands out

37%

of Gardendale'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
37%$8.7 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out and central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)
  • Other and not broken out$4.5 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$4.2 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
35%$8.3 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$4.2 million
  • Fire protection$3.1 million
  • Inspections and regulation$552 thousand
  • Courts and legal services$370 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
13%$3.1 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$2.4 million
  • Libraries$710 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
8.2%$2.0 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$2.0 million
Interest on debt
7.1%$1.7 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Gardendale. 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 Gardendale 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.