City government · San Bernardino County, CA

San Bernardino's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), San Bernardino took in $412 million and spent $367 million.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes50%Fees for services (sewer, water)25%Fines and other12%Federal tax money7.5%State tax money3.5%County and local tax money1.0%

What stands out

30%

of San Bernardino'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 taxes50%

Other taxes
30%$122 million
What's in other taxesOther taxes not classified elsewhere; public utility taxes and 4 more
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$54.5 million
  • Public utility taxes$44.4 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$10.2 million
  • Other licenses$6.7 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$5.8 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$677 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Sales tax
15%$61.7 million
Property tax
5.7%$23.6 million

Fees for services25%

Fees for services
25%$104 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 4 more
  • Sewer$47.4 million
  • Water$46.3 million
  • Other service charges$9.4 million
  • Garbage collection$500 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$467 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$14 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money7.5%

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

From the federal government
7.5%$31.0 million

State tax money3.5%

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

From the state
3.5%$14.6 million

County and local tax money1.0%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
1.0%$4.3 million

Fines and other12%

Interest, rents and other
12%$47.5 million
Fines
0.7%$2.8 million

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails34%Water, sewer, trash and utilities22%Running the government and other costs16%Roads, transit and parking14%Parks, recreation and libraries4.8%All other spending7.6%

What stands out

4.6%

of San Bernardino'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
34%$127 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; courts and legal services and 1 more
  • Police$118 million
  • Courts and legal services$4.8 million
  • Inspections and regulation$3.2 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
22%$81.7 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; sewer systems and 1 more
  • Water supply$41.9 million
  • Sewer systems$38.9 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$940 thousand
Running the government and other costs
16%$60.3 million
What's in running the government and other costsCentral staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology); finance, tax collection and budgeting and 2 more
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$46.6 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$9.1 million
  • Other and not broken out$4.5 million
  • Other government-run businesses$155 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
14%$53.0 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$53.0 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
4.8%$17.5 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$14.4 million
  • Libraries$3.1 million
Health and hospitals
4.6%$17.0 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$17.0 million
Housing and community development
2.1%$7.7 million
Interest on debt
0.8%$3.1 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on water supply debt and interest on general debt
  • Interest on water supply debt$1.8 million
  • Interest on general debt$1.3 million
Sent to other local governments
<0.1%$171 thousand
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to local governments: other and not broken out
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$171 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of San Bernardino. 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 San Bernardino 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.