City government · Logan County, CO

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Sterling took in $31.5 million and spent $30.0 million.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes40%Fees for services (water, sewer)38%Fines and other12%County and local tax money6.2%State tax money3.6%Federal tax money0.2%

What stands out

32%

of Sterling's money comes from sales tax.Most U.S. cities of 10,000 to 50,000 people get none.

City taxes40%

Sales tax
32%$10.0 million
Property tax
4.8%$1.5 million
Other taxes
3.8%$1.2 million
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses; other licenses and 1 more
  • Occupation and business licenses$796 thousand
  • Other licenses$214 thousand
  • Other selective sales taxes$187 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services38%

Fees for services
38%$11.9 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; sewer and 5 more
  • Water$6.1 million
  • Sewer$4.7 million
  • Garbage collection$792 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$215 thousand
  • Road charges$54 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$47 thousand
  • Other service charges$15 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%$53 thousand

State tax money3.6%

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

From the state
3.6%$1.1 million

County and local tax money6.2%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
6.2%$1.9 million

Fines and other12%

Interest, rents and other
12%$3.7 million
Fines
0.2%$63 thousand

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities35%Police, fire, courts and jails22%Running the government and other costs13%Roads, transit and parking11%Parks, recreation and libraries9.5%All other spending8.4%

What stands out

35%

of Sterling's spending goes to water, sewer, trash and other utilities.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people spends 24%.

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
35%$10.6 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; water supply and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$5.8 million
  • Water supply$4.0 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$776 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
22%$6.7 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 1 more
  • Police$4.1 million
  • Fire protection$2.2 million
  • Courts and legal services$390 thousand
Running the government and other costs
13%$4.0 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)$3.0 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$694 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$203 thousand
  • Other and not broken out$136 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
11%$3.3 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and airports
  • Roads and highways$2.8 million
  • Airports$432 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
9.5%$2.9 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$2.2 million
  • Libraries$656 thousand
Interest on debt
3.7%$1.1 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$813 thousand
  • Interest on water supply debt$310 thousand
Health and hospitals
2.8%$838 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$838 thousand
Environment and natural resources
1.8%$536 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$536 thousand
Sent to other local governments
<0.1%$15 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$15 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Sterling. 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 Sterling 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.