Town government · Sussex County, DE

Bethany Beach's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended March 31, 2024), Bethany Beach took in $14.4 million and spent $12.2 million.

Latest recorded year: ended March 31, 2024Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

Town taxes39%Fees for services (parking, water)38%Fines and other19%State tax money2.6%County and local tax money0.2%

What stands out

16%

of Bethany Beach's money comes from taxes other than property, sales and income taxes.A typical U.S. city, town or village of under 10,000 people gets 2.5%.

Town taxes39%

Property tax
23%$3.4 million
Other taxes
16%$2.3 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes and occupation and business licenses
  • Other selective sales taxes$2.1 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$232 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services38%

Fees for services
38%$5.5 million
What's in fees for servicesParking; water and 2 more
  • Parking$2.5 million
  • Water$1.5 million
  • Garbage collection$1.3 million
  • Other service charges$235 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%$4 thousand

State tax money2.6%

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

From the state
2.6%$373 thousand

County and local tax money0.2%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
0.2%$35 thousand

Fines and other19%

Interest, rents and other
15%$2.2 million
Fines
4.1%$586 thousand

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities26%Police, fire, courts and jails26%Roads, transit and parking23%Parks, recreation and libraries14%Running the government and other costs12%Interest on debt0.2%

What stands out

14%

of Bethany Beach'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%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
26%$3.1 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; garbage and solid waste and 1 more
  • Water supply$1.5 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$1.2 million
  • Sewer systems$469 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
26%$3.1 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; inspections and regulation and 2 more
  • Police$2.6 million
  • Inspections and regulation$283 thousand
  • Fire protection$154 thousand
  • Courts and legal services$42 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
23%$2.7 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and parking
  • Roads and highways$1.9 million
  • Parking$867 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
14%$1.7 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$1.7 million
Running the government and other costs
12%$1.5 million
What's in running the government and other costsCentral staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology); finance, tax collection and budgeting and 1 more
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$820 thousand
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$520 thousand
  • Other and not broken out$153 thousand
Interest on debt
0.2%$29 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Town of Bethany Beach. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended March 31, 2024.

What this covers. The money of Town of Bethany Beach 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.