City government · Mobile County, AL

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended September 30, 2023), Saraland took in $85.8 million and spent $65.3 million.

Latest recorded year: ended September 30, 2023Estimated by the U.S. Census BureauComes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

Fees for services (electric power, water)58%City taxes32%State tax money6.0%Fines and other3.7%County and local tax money<0.1%

What stands out

19%

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

City taxes32%

Sales tax
19%$16.7 million
Other taxes
7.2%$6.1 million
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses; other selective sales taxes and 5 more
  • Occupation and business licenses$2.3 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$1.0 million
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$1.0 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$675 thousand
  • Motor vehicle licenses$595 thousand
  • Motor fuel taxes$282 thousand
  • Other licenses$257 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
5.9%$5.0 million

Fees for services58%

Fees for services
58%$49.6 million
What's in fees for servicesElectric power; water and 7 more
  • Electric power$28.4 million
  • Water$5.6 million
  • Sewer$5.5 million
  • Gas$4.5 million
  • Garbage collection$2.1 million
  • Other service charges$1.9 million
  • Road charges$1.3 million
  • Parks and recreation$152 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$43 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

State tax money6.0%

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

From the state
6.0%$5.2 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%$56 thousand

Fines and other3.7%

Interest, rents and other
3.2%$2.7 million
Fines
0.5%$466 thousand

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities67%Police, fire, courts and jails13%Running the government and other costs7.9%Parks, recreation and libraries4.1%Interest on debt3.3%All other spending4.4%

What stands out

67%

of Saraland's spending goes to water, sewer, trash and other utilities.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people spends 24%.

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
67%$43.7 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesElectric power; gas supply and 3 more
  • Electric power$27.5 million
  • Gas supply$4.2 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$4.1 million
  • Sewer systems$4.1 million
  • Water supply$3.8 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
13%$8.7 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 3 more
  • Police$4.4 million
  • Fire protection$3.3 million
  • Courts and legal services$389 thousand
  • Prisons and jails$320 thousand
  • Inspections and regulation$259 thousand
Running the government and other costs
7.9%$5.2 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 3 more
  • Other and not broken out$3.8 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$643 thousand
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$396 thousand
  • Government buildings$236 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$64 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
4.1%$2.7 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$2.5 million
  • Libraries$144 thousand
Interest on debt
3.3%$2.2 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$1.8 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$364 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
3.1%$2.0 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$2.0 million
Housing and community development
1.1%$707 thousand
Health and hospitals
0.3%$178 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$178 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Saraland. 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 Saraland 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.