City government · Montezuma County, CO

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Cortez took in $30.5 million and spent $27.2 million.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes55%Fees for services (water, garbage collection)36%State tax money5.3%Fines and other2.4%County and local tax money1.5%Federal tax money0.2%

What stands out

38%

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

City taxes55%

Sales tax
38%$11.6 million
Property tax
12%$3.7 million
Other taxes
4.2%$1.3 million
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses; other licenses and 1 more
  • Occupation and business licenses$748 thousand
  • Other licenses$274 thousand
  • Other selective sales taxes$257 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services36%

Fees for services
36%$11.0 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; other service charges and 4 more
  • Water$3.9 million
  • Other service charges$2.3 million
  • Other government-run businesses$2.1 million
  • Garbage collection$2.0 million
  • Parks and recreation$448 thousand
  • Airport$187 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money0.2%

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

From the federal government
0.2%$60 thousand

State tax money5.3%

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

From the state
5.3%$1.6 million

County and local tax money1.5%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
1.5%$455 thousand

Fines and other2.4%

Interest, rents and other
2.2%$668 thousand
Fines
0.2%$57 thousand

Where it goes

Running the government and other costs33%Police, fire, courts and jails21%Roads, transit and parking15%Water, sewer, trash and utilities15%Parks, recreation and libraries14%Interest on debt1.0%

What stands out

14%

of Cortez'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%$8.9 million
What's in running the government and other costsCentral staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology); government buildings and 3 more
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$5.2 million
  • Government buildings$1.7 million
  • Other and not broken out$1.1 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$785 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$205 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
21%$5.8 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice and courts and legal services
  • Police$5.3 million
  • Courts and legal services$544 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
15%$4.1 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and airports
  • Roads and highways$3.5 million
  • Airports$687 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
15%$4.1 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; garbage and solid waste and 1 more
  • Water supply$2.8 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$1.3 million
  • Electric power$3 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
14%$3.9 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$3.3 million
  • Libraries$669 thousand
Interest on debt
1.0%$263 thousand
What's in interest on debtInterest on water supply debt; interest on electric power debt and 1 more
  • Interest on water supply debt$220 thousand
  • Interest on electric power debt$29 thousand
  • Interest on general debt$14 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Cortez. 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 Cortez 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.