City government · Los Angeles County, CA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Pasadena took in $927 million and spent $802 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Fees for services (electric power, water)51%City taxes32%Fines and other7.9%Federal tax money4.9%State tax money3.1%County and local tax money1.2%

What stands out

51%

of Pasadena's money comes from fees for services such as water, sewer and parking.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 30%.

City taxes32%

Other taxes
14%$130 million
What's in other taxesOther taxes not classified elsewhere; public utility taxes and 5 more
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$47.9 million
  • Public utility taxes$34.7 million
  • Other licenses$19.6 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$18.5 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$8.0 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$999 thousand
  • Amusement licenses$191 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
12%$107 million
Sales tax
6.8%$62.6 million

Fees for services51%

Fees for services
51%$469 million
What's in fees for servicesElectric power; other service charges and 9 more
  • Electric power$270 million
  • Other service charges$80.6 million
  • Water$67.7 million
  • Parking$27.1 million
  • Garbage collection$12.7 million
  • Sewer$8.1 million
  • Parks and recreation$1.3 million
  • Road charges$1.0 million
  • Transit fares$592 thousand
  • Housing$123 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$41 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money4.9%

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

From the federal government
4.9%$45.2 million

State tax money3.1%

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

From the state
3.1%$28.9 million

County and local tax money1.2%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
1.2%$10.7 million

Fines and other7.9%

Interest, rents and other
7.3%$67.3 million
Fines
0.7%$6.3 million

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities25%Police, fire, courts and jails24%Running the government and other costs20%Housing and community development10%Roads, transit and parking8.1%All other spending13%

What stands out

10%

of Pasadena's spending goes to housing and community development.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 1.4%.

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
25%$197 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesElectric power; water supply and 2 more
  • Electric power$119 million
  • Water supply$47.7 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$24.0 million
  • Sewer systems$6.4 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
24%$192 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 1 more
  • Police$112 million
  • Fire protection$64.8 million
  • Inspections and regulation$15.2 million
Running the government and other costs
20%$161 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$85.9 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$74.8 million
Housing and community development
10%$80.5 million
Roads, transit and parking
8.1%$65.3 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; parking and 1 more
  • Roads and highways$26.4 million
  • Parking$23.3 million
  • Public transit$15.5 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
6.5%$52.4 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$36.7 million
  • Libraries$15.7 million
Interest on debt
3.5%$27.9 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt; interest on electric power debt and 1 more
  • Interest on general debt$18.9 million
  • Interest on electric power debt$6.8 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$2.3 million
Health and hospitals
3.3%$26.5 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$26.5 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Pasadena. 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 Pasadena 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.