City government · Santa Barbara County, CA

Santa Barbara's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Santa Barbara took in $539 million and spent $457 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Fees for services (water, electric power)53%City taxes34%Fines and other6.9%Federal tax money3.1%State tax money2.4%

What stands out

53%

of Santa Barbara'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 taxes34%

Other taxes
13%$69.0 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; public utility taxes and 3 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$32.3 million
  • Public utility taxes$22.6 million
  • Other licenses$9.1 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$4.3 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$838 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Sales tax
12%$66.3 million
Property tax
9.1%$48.8 million

Fees for services53%

Fees for services
53%$287 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; electric power and 7 more
  • Water$69.5 million
  • Electric power$54.1 million
  • Garbage collection$38.4 million
  • Airport$32.1 million
  • Sewer$28.7 million
  • Other service charges$25.8 million
  • Ports and waterways$19.6 million
  • Parks and recreation$9.8 million
  • Parking$9.5 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money3.1%

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

From the federal government
3.1%$16.8 million

State tax money2.4%

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

From the state
2.4%$13.1 million

County and local tax money<0.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
<0.1%$83 thousand

Fines and other6.9%

Interest, rents and other
6.6%$35.4 million
Fines
0.3%$1.7 million

Where it goes

Roads, transit and parking24%Water, sewer, trash and utilities24%Police, fire, courts and jails22%Parks, recreation and libraries14%Environment and natural resources7.2%All other spending9.6%

What stands out

7.2%

of Santa Barbara's spending goes to the environment and natural resources.Most U.S. cities of 50,000+ people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Roads, transit and parking
24%$109 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; airports and 2 more
  • Roads and highways$53.4 million
  • Airports$27.9 million
  • Ports and harbors$16.3 million
  • Parking$11.3 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
24%$108 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; garbage and solid waste and 2 more
  • Water supply$47.9 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$38.0 million
  • Sewer systems$21.7 million
  • Electric power$462 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
22%$100 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 1 more
  • Police$55.5 million
  • Fire protection$37.7 million
  • Inspections and regulation$7.0 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
14%$63.3 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$53.6 million
  • Libraries$9.8 million
Environment and natural resources
7.2%$33.0 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$33.0 million
Running the government and other costs
7.0%$31.9 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)$28.6 million
  • Other and not broken out$3.3 million
Housing and community development
1.3%$6.0 million
Interest on debt
1.1%$4.9 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$4.3 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$613 thousand
Health and hospitals
0.2%$990 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$990 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Santa Barbara. 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 Santa Barbara 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.