Town government · Eagle County, CO

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Vail took in $128 million and spent $114 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Town taxes69%Fines and other11%Fees for services (parking, housing)9.2%County and local tax money7.4%State tax money2.1%Federal tax money1.1%

What stands out

37%

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

Town taxes69%

Sales tax
37%$47.6 million
Other taxes
24%$30.2 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; real estate and stock transfer taxes and 4 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$11.0 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$8.0 million
  • Amusement taxes$6.5 million
  • Other licenses$2.9 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$1.7 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$23 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
8.4%$10.7 million

Fees for services9.2%

Fees for services
9.2%$11.8 million
What's in fees for servicesParking; housing and 1 more
  • Parking$9.4 million
  • Housing$2.1 million
  • Other service charges$203 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money1.1%

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

From the federal government
1.1%$1.4 million

State tax money2.1%

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

From the state
2.1%$2.7 million

County and local tax money7.4%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
7.4%$9.4 million

Fines and other11%

Interest, rents and other
11%$13.6 million
Fines
0.3%$339 thousand

Where it goes

Running the government and other costs33%Housing and community development19%Police, fire, courts and jails17%Roads, transit and parking12%Parks, recreation and libraries6.1%All other spending13%

What stands out

19%

of Vail's spending goes to housing and community development.Most U.S. cities, towns and villages of under 10,000 people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs
33%$37.5 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$17.1 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$12.2 million
  • Government buildings$6.6 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.6 million
Housing and community development
19%$21.2 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
17%$19.9 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsFire protection; police and 2 more
  • Fire protection$8.9 million
  • Police$8.6 million
  • Courts and legal services$1.8 million
  • Inspections and regulation$507 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
12%$13.7 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingPublic transit; roads and highways and 1 more
  • Public transit$7.0 million
  • Roads and highways$3.6 million
  • Parking$3.0 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
6.1%$6.9 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$5.7 million
  • Libraries$1.2 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
4.4%$5.0 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste and sewer systems
  • Garbage and solid waste$4.9 million
  • Sewer systems$90 thousand
Sent to other local governments
4.0%$4.5 million
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$4.5 million
Health and hospitals
2.2%$2.5 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$2.5 million
Interest on debt
2.2%$2.4 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Town of Vail. 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 Town of Vail 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.