City government · Santa Cruz County, CA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Watsonville took in $162 million and spent $142 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Fees for services (water, garbage collection)42%City taxes38%Fines and other13%State tax money3.8%Federal tax money3.0%County and local tax money<0.1%

What stands out

16%

of Watsonville'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 taxes38%

Other taxes
16%$25.9 million
What's in other taxesOther taxes not classified elsewhere; public utility taxes and 3 more
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$18.5 million
  • Public utility taxes$5.3 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$1.4 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$567 thousand
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$81 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
13%$21.4 million
Sales tax
8.8%$14.3 million

Fees for services42%

Fees for services
42%$68.0 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; garbage collection and 6 more
  • Water$21.2 million
  • Garbage collection$19.0 million
  • Sewer$17.7 million
  • Airport$4.9 million
  • Other service charges$4.4 million
  • Parks and recreation$648 thousand
  • Parking$89 thousand
  • Road charges$44 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money3.0%

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

From the federal government
3.0%$4.9 million

State tax money3.8%

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

From the state
3.8%$6.2 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%$136 thousand

Fines and other13%

Interest, rents and other
13%$21.1 million
Fines
<0.1%$152 thousand

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities34%Police, fire, courts and jails30%Running the government and other costs18%Roads, transit and parking8.6%Parks, recreation and libraries7.8%All other spending2.4%

What stands out

34%

of Watsonville's spending goes to water, sewer, trash and other utilities.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 20%.

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
34%$47.8 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; garbage and solid waste and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$17.4 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$15.3 million
  • Water supply$15.1 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
30%$42.3 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 1 more
  • Police$28.8 million
  • Fire protection$11.9 million
  • Inspections and regulation$1.6 million
Running the government and other costs
18%$25.0 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)$14.0 million
  • Other and not broken out$11.0 million
Roads, transit and parking
8.6%$12.1 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; airports and 1 more
  • Roads and highways$7.0 million
  • Airports$4.9 million
  • Parking$268 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
7.8%$11.0 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$6.4 million
  • Libraries$4.6 million
Health and hospitals
1.2%$1.7 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$1.7 million
Housing and community development
0.9%$1.2 million
Interest on debt
0.3%$423 thousand
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$404 thousand
  • Interest on water supply debt$19 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Watsonville. 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 Watsonville 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.