City government · Madison County, AL

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended September 30, 2023), Madison took in $90.5 million and spent $55.5 million.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes86%Fines and other4.9%State tax money4.5%Fees for services (garbage collection, gas)4.2%County and local tax money<0.1%

What stands out

43%

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

City taxes86%

Sales tax
43%$39.0 million
Other taxes
24%$21.4 million
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses; other selective sales taxes and 6 more
  • Occupation and business licenses$7.6 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$5.8 million
  • Public utility taxes$2.9 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$2.0 million
  • Motor fuel taxes$1.9 million
  • Other licenses$1.0 million
  • Tobacco taxes$122 thousand
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$14 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
20%$17.8 million

Fees for services4.2%

Fees for services
4.2%$3.8 million
What's in fees for servicesGarbage collection; gas and 2 more
  • Garbage collection$2.4 million
  • Gas$546 thousand
  • Other service charges$512 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$380 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

State tax money4.5%

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

From the state
4.5%$4.1 million

County and local tax money<0.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
<0.1%$50 thousand

Fines and other4.9%

Interest, rents and other
3.7%$3.4 million
Fines
1.2%$1.0 million

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails35%Running the government and other costs22%Interest on debt18%Parks, recreation and libraries10%Roads, transit and parking9.7%Water, sewer, trash and utilities5.1%

What stands out

18%

of Madison's spending goes to interest on debt.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 2.5%.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
35%$19.6 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$9.5 million
  • Fire protection$7.8 million
  • Courts and legal services$2.0 million
  • Prisons and jails$312 thousand
Running the government and other costs
22%$12.3 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther government-run businesses; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 3 more
  • Other government-run businesses$4.3 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$3.0 million
  • Other and not broken out$2.9 million
  • Government buildings$1.1 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$935 thousand
Interest on debt
18%$9.8 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
10%$5.6 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$5.4 million
  • Libraries$238 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
9.7%$5.4 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$5.4 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
5.1%$2.8 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$2.8 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Madison. 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 Madison 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.