City government · Pima County, AZ

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Tucson took in $1.65 billion and spent $1.27 billion.

Latest recorded year: ended June 30, 2024Comes fromGoes to

See every government that serves your ZIP

Where it comes from

City taxes34%Fees for services (water, garbage collection)27%State tax money22%Federal tax money15%Fines and other2.2%County and local tax money0.3%

What stands out

26%

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

City taxes34%

Sales tax
26%$424 million
Other taxes
5.6%$92.9 million
What's in other taxesPublic utility taxes; other selective sales taxes and 4 more
  • Public utility taxes$30.2 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$27.0 million
  • Other licenses$22.8 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$11.8 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$1.1 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$14 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
2.8%$45.5 million

Fees for services27%

Fees for services
27%$443 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; garbage collection and 6 more
  • Water$264 million
  • Garbage collection$67.9 million
  • Airport$55.7 million
  • Other service charges$24.9 million
  • Parks and recreation$14.0 million
  • Housing$8.0 million
  • Parking$4.6 million
  • Transit fares$3.5 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money15%

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

From the federal government
15%$247 million

State tax money22%

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

From the state
22%$359 million

County and local tax money0.3%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
0.3%$4.3 million

Fines and other2.2%

Interest, rents and other
1.9%$30.9 million
Fines
0.4%$6.0 million

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities29%Police, fire, courts and jails23%Running the government and other costs21%Roads, transit and parking16%Housing and community development5.6%All other spending6.0%

What stands out

5.6%

of Tucson's spending goes to housing and community development.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 1.4%.

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
29%$369 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply and garbage and solid waste
  • Water supply$304 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$64.7 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
23%$288 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 1 more
  • Police$175 million
  • Fire protection$95.0 million
  • Courts and legal services$17.4 million
Running the government and other costs
21%$260 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 1 more
  • Other and not broken out$214 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$33.5 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$12.1 million
Roads, transit and parking
16%$203 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingPublic transit; roads and highways and 2 more
  • Public transit$95.5 million
  • Roads and highways$65.5 million
  • Airports$36.4 million
  • Parking$5.9 million
Housing and community development
5.6%$70.4 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
3.2%$41.1 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$41.1 million
Interest on debt
2.7%$34.3 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$23.9 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$10.3 million
Sent to other local governments
<0.1%$513 thousand
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to local governments: other and not broken out and sent to the state government
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$455 thousand
  • Sent to the state government$58 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Tucson. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended June 30, 2024.

What this covers. The money of City of Tucson 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.