City government · St Clair County, AL

Pell City's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended September 30, 2023), Pell City took in $41.3 million and spent $25.1 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 taxes68%Fees for services (water, sewer)18%State tax money9.9%Fines and other3.4%

What stands out

61%

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

City taxes68%

Sales tax
61%$25.2 million
Other taxes
4.3%$1.8 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; motor fuel taxes and 4 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$830 thousand
  • Motor fuel taxes$261 thousand
  • Public utility taxes$242 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$202 thousand
  • Other licenses$199 thousand
  • Occupation and business licenses$35 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
3.1%$1.3 million

Fees for services18%

Fees for services
18%$7.6 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; sewer and 2 more
  • Water$5.3 million
  • Sewer$1.8 million
  • Parks and recreation$456 thousand
  • Other service charges$42 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

State tax money9.9%

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

From the state
9.9%$4.1 million

Fines and other3.4%

Fines
1.9%$765 thousand
Interest, rents and other
1.5%$639 thousand

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails33%Water, sewer, trash and utilities22%Running the government and other costs16%Roads, transit and parking11%Parks, recreation and libraries9.7%All other spending8.3%

What stands out

7.2%

of Pell City's spending goes to interest on debt.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people spends 2.2%.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
33%$8.4 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsFire protection; police and 1 more
  • Fire protection$3.9 million
  • Police$3.9 million
  • Courts and legal services$571 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
22%$5.4 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply and sewer systems
  • Water supply$4.0 million
  • Sewer systems$1.4 million
Running the government and other costs
16%$4.1 million
What's in running the government and other costsCentral staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology); other and not broken out and 1 more
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$2.3 million
  • Other and not broken out$1.5 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$283 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
11%$2.7 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$2.7 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
9.7%$2.4 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$2.0 million
  • Libraries$487 thousand
Interest on debt
7.2%$1.8 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$1.1 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$735 thousand
Health and hospitals
1.1%$268 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$268 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Pell City. 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 Pell City 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.