City government · San Mateo County, CA

East Palo Alto's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2022), East Palo Alto took in $44.5 million and spent $39.5 million.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes70%Fees for services (garbage collection, water)15%Federal tax money7.9%State tax money5.3%County and local tax money1.4%Fines and other0.3%

What stands out

15%

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

City taxes70%

Property tax
33%$14.5 million
Other taxes
22%$10.0 million
What's in other taxesOther taxes not classified elsewhere; public utility taxes and 4 more
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$3.0 million
  • Public utility taxes$2.7 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$1.4 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$1.2 million
  • Other licenses$1.2 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$413 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Sales tax
15%$6.8 million

Fees for services15%

Fees for services
15%$6.5 million
What's in fees for servicesGarbage collection; other service charges and 3 more
  • Garbage collection$2.9 million
  • Other service charges$1.8 million
  • Water$1.3 million
  • Housing$527 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$1 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money7.9%

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

From the federal government
7.9%$3.5 million

State tax money5.3%

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

From the state
5.3%$2.4 million

County and local tax money1.4%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
1.4%$607 thousand

Fines and other0.3%

Fines
0.6%$263 thousand
Interest, rents and other
-0.3%-$144 thousand

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails32%Running the government and other costs28%Roads, transit and parking22%Water, sewer, trash and utilities9.0%Housing and community development6.3%All other spending3.0%

What stands out

6.3%

of East Palo Alto'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%

Police, fire, courts and jails
32%$12.8 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice and inspections and regulation
  • Police$11.9 million
  • Inspections and regulation$890 thousand
Running the government and other costs
28%$11.1 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)$8.9 million
  • Other and not broken out$2.2 million
Roads, transit and parking
22%$8.5 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and public transit
  • Roads and highways$8.0 million
  • Public transit$506 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
9.0%$3.5 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste and water supply
  • Garbage and solid waste$2.8 million
  • Water supply$754 thousand
Housing and community development
6.3%$2.5 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
2.9%$1.2 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$1.2 million
Interest on debt
<0.1%$26 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of East Palo Alto. 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 East Palo Alto 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.