City government · Polk County, FL

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended September 30, 2023), Bartow took in $93.8 million and spent $88.9 million.

Latest recorded year: ended September 30, 2023Comes fromGoes to

See every government that serves your ZIP

Where it comes from

Fees for services (electric power, airport)64%City taxes15%Fines and other7.8%Federal tax money6.2%State tax money3.9%County and local tax money3.1%

What stands out

64%

of Bartow'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%.

City taxes15%

Other taxes
8.9%$8.4 million
What's in other taxesOther licenses; public utility taxes and 3 more
  • Other licenses$4.0 million
  • Public utility taxes$2.8 million
  • Motor fuel taxes$980 thousand
  • Insurance premium taxes$363 thousand
  • Occupation and business licenses$249 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
5.7%$5.4 million

Fees for services64%

Fees for services
64%$60.4 million
What's in fees for servicesElectric power; airport and 7 more
  • Electric power$35.3 million
  • Airport$5.7 million
  • Water$5.4 million
  • Sewer$5.3 million
  • Garbage collection$3.7 million
  • Other service charges$2.6 million
  • Parks and recreation$1.4 million
  • Parks, land and natural resources$728 thousand
  • Road charges$137 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money6.2%

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

From the federal government
6.2%$5.8 million

State tax money3.9%

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

From the state
3.9%$3.6 million

County and local tax money3.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
3.1%$2.9 million

Fines and other7.8%

Interest, rents and other
7.6%$7.2 million
Fines
0.1%$113 thousand

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities51%Running the government and other costs14%Police, fire, courts and jails14%Parks, recreation and libraries9.7%Roads, transit and parking8.7%All other spending2.8%

What stands out

51%

of Bartow'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
51%$45.4 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesElectric power; water supply and 2 more
  • Electric power$29.1 million
  • Water supply$6.1 million
  • Sewer systems$5.3 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$4.9 million
Running the government and other costs
14%$12.5 million
What's in running the government and other costsFinance, tax collection and budgeting; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 1 more
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$9.5 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$2.1 million
  • Other and not broken out$938 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
14%$12.1 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 1 more
  • Police$8.4 million
  • Fire protection$3.3 million
  • Inspections and regulation$432 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
9.7%$8.6 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$7.2 million
  • Libraries$1.4 million
Roads, transit and parking
8.7%$7.8 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingAirports and roads and highways
  • Airports$5.6 million
  • Roads and highways$2.1 million
Environment and natural resources
2.4%$2.1 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$2.1 million
Interest on debt
0.5%$401 thousand
What's in interest on debtInterest on water supply debt; interest on general debt and 1 more
  • Interest on water supply debt$282 thousand
  • Interest on general debt$113 thousand
  • Interest on electric power debt$6 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Bartow. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended September 30, 2023.

What this covers. The money of City of Bartow 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.