City government · Monterey County, CA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Monterey took in $199 million and spent $184 million.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes50%Fees for services (parking, parks and recreation)28%Fines and other10%County and local tax money9.3%State tax money1.7%Federal tax money0.6%

What stands out

31%

of Monterey's money comes from taxes other than property, sales and income taxes.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people gets 6.1%.

City taxes50%

Other taxes
31%$61.4 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; public utility taxes and 4 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$35.3 million
  • Public utility taxes$7.8 million
  • Other licenses$7.6 million
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$5.9 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$4.6 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$202 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Sales tax
11%$22.6 million
Property tax
7.8%$15.4 million

Fees for services28%

Fees for services
28%$56.1 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; parking and 4 more
  • Other service charges$34.3 million
  • Parking$12.4 million
  • Parks and recreation$6.3 million
  • Sewer$2.4 million
  • Other government-run businesses$329 thousand
  • Ports and waterways$304 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money0.6%

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

From the federal government
0.6%$1.1 million

State tax money1.7%

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

From the state
1.7%$3.3 million

County and local tax money9.3%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
9.3%$18.4 million

Fines and other10%

Interest, rents and other
10%$19.8 million
Fines
0.4%$773 thousand

Where it goes

Running the government and other costs49%Police, fire, courts and jails29%Parks, recreation and libraries13%Roads, transit and parking5.6%Interest on debt1.3%All other spending2.5%

What stands out

49%

of Monterey's spending goes to running the government and other costs.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people spends 18%.

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs
49%$89.3 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$75.8 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$12.9 million
  • Other government-run businesses$515 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
29%$53.2 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsFire protection; police and 1 more
  • Fire protection$28.7 million
  • Police$22.9 million
  • Inspections and regulation$1.6 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
13%$24.0 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$21.0 million
  • Libraries$3.0 million
Roads, transit and parking
5.6%$10.2 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingParking and roads and highways
  • Parking$7.3 million
  • Roads and highways$2.9 million
Interest on debt
1.3%$2.4 million
Housing and community development
1.3%$2.4 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
1.3%$2.3 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems
  • Sewer systems$2.3 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Monterey. 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 Monterey 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.