Town government · Kent County, DE

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Smyrna took in $32.9 million and spent $41.8 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Fees for services (electric power, sewer)72%Town taxes20%Fines and other5.6%State tax money2.3%Federal tax money0.1%County and local tax money<0.1%

What stands out

72%

of Smyrna's money comes from fees for services such as water, sewer and parking.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people gets 30%.

Town taxes20%

Property tax
18%$5.9 million
Other taxes
2.2%$716 thousand
What's in other taxesOther licenses; public utility taxes and 1 more
  • Other licenses$420 thousand
  • Public utility taxes$232 thousand
  • Occupation and business licenses$64 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services72%

Fees for services
72%$23.7 million
What's in fees for servicesElectric power; sewer and 4 more
  • Electric power$16.0 million
  • Sewer$3.3 million
  • Water$2.5 million
  • Garbage collection$1.8 million
  • Other service charges$101 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$2 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money0.1%

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

From the federal government
0.1%$37 thousand

State tax money2.3%

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

From the state
2.3%$755 thousand

County and local tax money<0.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
<0.1%$17 thousand

Fines and other5.6%

Interest, rents and other
5.0%$1.6 million
Fines
0.6%$190 thousand

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities59%Police, fire, courts and jails15%Running the government and other costs15%Roads, transit and parking4.8%Parks, recreation and libraries3.2%All other spending2.9%

What stands out

59%

of Smyrna'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
59%$24.8 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesElectric power; water supply and 2 more
  • Electric power$14.1 million
  • Water supply$7.7 million
  • Sewer systems$1.7 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$1.3 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
15%$6.3 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice
  • Police$6.3 million
Running the government and other costs
15%$6.2 million
What's in running the government and other costsCentral staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology); other and not broken out and 2 more
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$2.6 million
  • Other and not broken out$1.6 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.2 million
  • Government buildings$798 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
4.8%$2.0 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$2.0 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
3.2%$1.4 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$978 thousand
  • Libraries$378 thousand
Interest on debt
1.9%$808 thousand
What's in interest on debtInterest on water supply debt; interest on general debt and 1 more
  • Interest on water supply debt$454 thousand
  • Interest on general debt$191 thousand
  • Interest on electric power debt$163 thousand
Housing and community development
1.0%$397 thousand
Social services
<0.1%$12 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$12 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Town of Smyrna. 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 Smyrna 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.