City government · Alameda County, CA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Berkeley took in $588 million and spent $574 million.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes43%Fees for services (garbage collection, sewer)39%Fines and other7.8%State tax money6.5%Federal tax money4.0%County and local tax money0.6%

What stands out

16%

of Berkeley's money comes from taxes other than property, sales and income taxes.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 7.2%.

City taxes43%

Property tax
22%$129 million
Other taxes
16%$92.9 million
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses; real estate and stock transfer taxes and 4 more
  • Occupation and business licenses$30.1 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$24.8 million
  • Public utility taxes$18.9 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$11.0 million
  • Other licenses$4.1 million
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$4.1 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Sales tax
4.8%$28.4 million

Fees for services39%

Fees for services
39%$227 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; garbage collection and 5 more
  • Other service charges$126 million
  • Garbage collection$51.1 million
  • Sewer$27.8 million
  • Parking$9.6 million
  • Ports and waterways$6.9 million
  • Parks and recreation$5.4 million
  • Road charges$328 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money4.0%

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

From the federal government
4.0%$23.5 million

State tax money6.5%

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

From the state
6.5%$38.4 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%$3.5 million

Fines and other7.8%

Interest, rents and other
6.5%$38.3 million
Fines
1.3%$7.4 million

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails24%Running the government and other costs22%Water, sewer, trash and utilities12%Parks, recreation and libraries11%Health and hospitals11%All other spending19%

What stands out

11%

of Berkeley's spending goes to health services and hospitals.Most U.S. cities of 50,000+ people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
24%$139 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice and fire protection
  • Police$91.4 million
  • Fire protection$47.3 million
Running the government and other costs
22%$129 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$73.2 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$54.9 million
  • Government buildings$1.0 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
12%$70.7 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste and sewer systems
  • Garbage and solid waste$56.1 million
  • Sewer systems$14.6 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
11%$64.7 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$41.2 million
  • Libraries$23.6 million
Health and hospitals
11%$63.8 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$63.8 million
Roads, transit and parking
9.7%$55.6 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; parking and 1 more
  • Roads and highways$38.7 million
  • Parking$10.1 million
  • Ports and harbors$6.8 million
Housing and community development
6.5%$37.3 million
Interest on debt
2.5%$14.3 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Berkeley. 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 Berkeley 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.