City government · Crawford County, AR

Van Buren's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Van Buren took in $39.3 million and spent $37.6 million.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes43%Fees for services (water, sewer)30%County and local tax money13%Fines and other7.1%State tax money5.5%Federal tax money1.8%

What stands out

22%

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

City taxes43%

Sales tax
22%$8.6 million
Property tax
14%$5.7 million
Other taxes
7.0%$2.7 million
What's in other taxesPublic utility taxes; occupation and business licenses and 1 more
  • Public utility taxes$2.3 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$307 thousand
  • Other licenses$180 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services30%

Fees for services
30%$11.7 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; sewer and 1 more
  • Water$5.8 million
  • Sewer$4.5 million
  • Other service charges$1.4 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money1.8%

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

From the federal government
1.8%$689 thousand

State tax money5.5%

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

From the state
5.5%$2.2 million

County and local tax money13%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
13%$5.0 million

Fines and other7.1%

Interest, rents and other
5.7%$2.2 million
Fines
1.4%$561 thousand

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities40%Police, fire, courts and jails34%Roads, transit and parking11%Running the government and other costs9.0%Parks, recreation and libraries6.0%All other spending0.4%

What stands out

40%

of Van Buren'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
40%$15.0 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply and sewer systems
  • Water supply$9.7 million
  • Sewer systems$5.4 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
34%$12.7 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 1 more
  • Police$6.7 million
  • Fire protection$4.9 million
  • Courts and legal services$1.1 million
Roads, transit and parking
11%$4.1 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$4.1 million
Running the government and other costs
9.0%$3.4 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; finance, tax collection and budgeting and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$1.6 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.1 million
  • Government buildings$419 thousand
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$304 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
6.0%$2.2 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$2.1 million
  • Libraries$93 thousand
Interest on debt
0.2%$94 thousand
Social services
0.1%$46 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$46 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Van Buren. 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 Van Buren 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.