City government · Pitkin County, CO

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Aspen took in $187 million and spent $139 million.

Latest recorded year: ended December 31, 2023Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

City taxes40%Fines and other25%Fees for services (water, electric power)23%County and local tax money11%State tax money0.7%

What stands out

16%

of Aspen's money comes from sales tax.Most U.S. cities, towns and villages of under 10,000 people get none.

City taxes40%

Other taxes
19%$35.5 million
What's in other taxesReal estate and stock transfer taxes; other selective sales taxes and 3 more
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$22.9 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$10.5 million
  • Other licenses$1.1 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$863 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$157 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Sales tax
16%$29.5 million
Property tax
5.6%$10.4 million

Fees for services23%

Fees for services
23%$43.1 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; electric power and 5 more
  • Water$12.5 million
  • Electric power$12.1 million
  • Parks and recreation$6.2 million
  • Parking$6.1 million
  • Other service charges$4.3 million
  • Housing$1.9 million
  • Transit fares$51 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money<0.1%

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

From the federal government
<0.1%$12 thousand

State tax money0.7%

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

From the state
0.7%$1.3 million

County and local tax money11%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
11%$19.7 million

Fines and other25%

Interest, rents and other
25%$47.3 million
Fines
<0.1%$37 thousand

Where it goes

Running the government and other costs33%Parks, recreation and libraries21%Water, sewer, trash and utilities12%Housing and community development11%Roads, transit and parking10%All other spending12%

What stands out

21%

of Aspen's spending goes to parks, recreation and libraries.A typical U.S. city, town or village of under 10,000 people spends 2.2%.

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs
33%$46.5 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$22.7 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$14.3 million
  • Government buildings$6.8 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$2.7 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
21%$29.6 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$29.6 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
12%$17.0 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesElectric power and water supply
  • Electric power$10.3 million
  • Water supply$6.6 million
Housing and community development
11%$14.7 million
Roads, transit and parking
10%$14.3 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; public transit and 1 more
  • Roads and highways$8.2 million
  • Public transit$3.7 million
  • Parking$2.4 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
5.6%$7.8 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice and courts and legal services
  • Police$7.1 million
  • Courts and legal services$743 thousand
Social services
2.0%$2.8 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$2.8 million
Interest on debt
2.0%$2.8 million
Health and hospitals
1.4%$1.9 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$1.9 million
Environment and natural resources
1.2%$1.7 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$1.7 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Aspen. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.

What this covers. The money of City of Aspen 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.