City government · Los Angeles County, CA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Lancaster took in $307 million and spent $315 million.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes42%Fees for services (electric power, parks and recreation)35%State tax money13%Fines and other6.3%Federal tax money2.5%County and local tax money2.3%

What stands out

23%

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

City taxes42%

Sales tax
23%$69.7 million
Property tax
11%$32.5 million
Other taxes
8.5%$26.2 million
What's in other taxesPublic utility taxes; other licenses and 3 more
  • Public utility taxes$11.7 million
  • Other licenses$10.6 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$2.3 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$1.1 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$585 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services35%

Fees for services
35%$106 million
What's in fees for servicesElectric power; other service charges and 4 more
  • Electric power$85.4 million
  • Other service charges$18.2 million
  • Parks and recreation$2.3 million
  • Housing$157 thousand
  • Water$115 thousand
  • Road charges$19 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money2.5%

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

From the federal government
2.5%$7.8 million

State tax money13%

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

From the state
13%$38.8 million

County and local tax money2.3%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
2.3%$7.0 million

Fines and other6.3%

Interest, rents and other
6.0%$18.5 million
Fines
0.2%$757 thousand

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities26%Roads, transit and parking24%Running the government and other costs17%Police, fire, courts and jails17%Parks, recreation and libraries9.3%All other spending6.8%

What stands out

24%

of Lancaster's spending goes to roads, transit and parking.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 10%.

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
26%$82.0 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesElectric power and water supply
  • Electric power$81.7 million
  • Water supply$272 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
24%$76.0 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and public transit
  • Roads and highways$75.8 million
  • Public transit$258 thousand
Running the government and other costs
17%$53.7 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out and central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)
  • Other and not broken out$27.3 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$26.4 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
17%$52.9 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice and inspections and regulation
  • Police$47.8 million
  • Inspections and regulation$5.0 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
9.3%$29.5 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$29.5 million
Housing and community development
4.3%$13.6 million
Interest on debt
2.4%$7.7 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on electric power debt
  • Interest on general debt$6.0 million
  • Interest on electric power debt$1.7 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Lancaster. 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 Lancaster 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.