City government · Humboldt County, CA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2022), Arcata took in $36.3 million and spent $33.5 million.

Latest recorded year: ended June 30, 2022Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

City taxes40%Fees for services (sewer, water)39%Fines and other13%Federal tax money4.1%State tax money3.1%County and local tax money0.3%

What stands out

17%

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

City taxes40%

Sales tax
17%$6.1 million
Other taxes
13%$4.8 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; public utility taxes and 4 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$2.0 million
  • Public utility taxes$1.3 million
  • Other licenses$784 thousand
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$496 thousand
  • Occupation and business licenses$140 thousand
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$66 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
10%$3.6 million

Fees for services39%

Fees for services
39%$14.2 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 4 more
  • Sewer$7.6 million
  • Water$5.4 million
  • Garbage collection$549 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$282 thousand
  • Other service charges$261 thousand
  • Transit fares$45 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money4.1%

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

From the federal government
4.1%$1.5 million

State tax money3.1%

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

From the state
3.1%$1.1 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%$105 thousand

Fines and other13%

Interest, rents and other
13%$4.6 million
Fines
0.5%$173 thousand

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities29%Police, fire, courts and jails21%Running the government and other costs20%Roads, transit and parking17%Housing and community development8.0%All other spending4.8%

What stands out

8%

of Arcata's spending goes to housing and community development.Most U.S. cities of 10,000 to 50,000 people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
29%$9.8 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; water supply and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$5.1 million
  • Water supply$4.3 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$402 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
21%$7.2 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice and inspections and regulation
  • Police$6.7 million
  • Inspections and regulation$449 thousand
Running the government and other costs
20%$6.6 million
What's in running the government and other costsCentral staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and other and not broken out
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$3.8 million
  • Other and not broken out$2.8 million
Roads, transit and parking
17%$5.6 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and public transit
  • Roads and highways$4.4 million
  • Public transit$1.2 million
Housing and community development
8.0%$2.7 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
4.0%$1.3 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$1.3 million
Interest on debt
0.6%$195 thousand
What's in interest on debtInterest on water supply debt and interest on general debt
  • Interest on water supply debt$138 thousand
  • Interest on general debt$57 thousand
Health and hospitals
0.3%$98 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$98 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Arcata. U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments, Finance, individual unit file, fiscal year ended June 30, 2022. The Census record for this government is from the 2022 survey, the newest on file.

What this covers. The money of City of Arcata 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.