City government · Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Palmer took in $31.6 million and spent $29.3 million.

Latest recorded year: ended December 31, 2023Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

City taxes41%Fees for services (sewer, water)23%Federal tax money20%Fines and other8.0%State tax money7.4%County and local tax money0.6%

What stands out

35%

of Palmer's money comes from sales tax.Most U.S. cities, towns and villages of under 10,000 people get none.

City taxes41%

Sales tax
35%$10.9 million
Property tax
5.9%$1.9 million
Other taxes
0.8%$252 thousand
What's in other taxesOther licenses and occupation and business licenses
  • Other licenses$178 thousand
  • Occupation and business licenses$74 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services23%

Fees for services
23%$7.2 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 4 more
  • Sewer$2.0 million
  • Water$1.9 million
  • Parks and recreation$1.2 million
  • Garbage collection$853 thousand
  • Other service charges$853 thousand
  • Airport$301 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money20%

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

From the federal government
20%$6.4 million

State tax money7.4%

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

From the state
7.4%$2.3 million

County and local tax money0.6%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
0.6%$180 thousand

Fines and other8.0%

Interest, rents and other
7.8%$2.5 million
Fines
0.2%$53 thousand

Where it goes

Roads, transit and parking35%Police, fire, courts and jails24%Water, sewer, trash and utilities17%Running the government and other costs11%Parks, recreation and libraries8.6%All other spending3.2%

What stands out

35%

of Palmer's spending goes to roads, transit and parking.A typical U.S. city, town or village of under 10,000 people spends 10%.

Spending by category100%

Roads, transit and parking
35%$10.3 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingAirports and roads and highways
  • Airports$6.3 million
  • Roads and highways$4.1 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
24%$7.1 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 1 more
  • Police$5.7 million
  • Fire protection$1.4 million
  • Courts and legal services$47 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
17%$5.1 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; water supply and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$3.4 million
  • Water supply$923 thousand
  • Garbage and solid waste$769 thousand
Running the government and other costs
11%$3.2 million
What's in running the government and other costsCentral staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology); finance, tax collection and budgeting and 2 more
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.9 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$724 thousand
  • Other and not broken out$502 thousand
  • Government buildings$128 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
8.6%$2.5 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$1.5 million
  • Libraries$1.0 million
Housing and community development
2.6%$762 thousand
Interest on debt
0.4%$126 thousand
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$90 thousand
  • Interest on water supply debt$36 thousand
Health and hospitals
0.2%$55 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$55 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Palmer. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.

What this covers. The money of City of Palmer 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.