County government · Columbia County, FL

Columbia County's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended September 30, 2023), Columbia County took in $126 million and spent $91.3 million.

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

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Where it comes from

County taxes46%State tax money22%Fines and other19%Fees for services (garbage collection, water)9.6%Local tax money2.7%Federal tax money1.1%

What stands out

13%

of Columbia County's money comes from taxes other than property, sales and income taxes.A typical U.S. county of 50,000 to 250,000 people gets 1.8%.

County taxes46%

Property tax
22%$27.1 million
Other taxes
13%$16.8 million
What's in other taxesOther licenses; motor fuel taxes and 4 more
  • Other licenses$8.8 million
  • Motor fuel taxes$3.9 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$2.1 million
  • Public utility taxes$1.1 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$589 thousand
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$235 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Sales tax
11%$14.0 million

Fees for services9.6%

Fees for services
9.6%$12.1 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; garbage collection and 3 more
  • Other service charges$7.7 million
  • Garbage collection$4.0 million
  • Water$423 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$45 thousand
  • Road charges$3 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 money22%

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

From the state
22%$27.2 million

Local tax money2.7%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
2.7%$3.4 million

Fines and other19%

Interest, rents and other
12%$15.2 million
Fines
6.9%$8.7 million

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails37%Running the government and other costs21%Roads, transit and parking15%Water, sewer, trash and utilities14%Parks, recreation and libraries3.4%All other spending8.7%

What stands out

14%

of Columbia County's spending goes to water, sewer, trash and other utilities.A typical U.S. county of 50,000 to 250,000 people spends 1.6%.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
37%$33.9 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 3 more
  • Police$15.7 million
  • Fire protection$7.5 million
  • Prisons and jails$6.9 million
  • Courts and legal services$2.7 million
  • Inspections and regulation$1.0 million
Running the government and other costs
21%$19.6 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 1 more
  • Other and not broken out$7.7 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$6.3 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$5.6 million
Roads, transit and parking
15%$13.9 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$13.9 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
14%$12.8 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste; water supply and 1 more
  • Garbage and solid waste$11.5 million
  • Water supply$1.2 million
  • Sewer systems$109 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
3.4%$3.1 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries and parks and recreation
  • Libraries$1.8 million
  • Parks and recreation$1.3 million
Health and hospitals
2.7%$2.5 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$2.5 million
Environment and natural resources
2.2%$2.0 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$2.0 million
Social services
1.6%$1.4 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$1.4 million
Sent to other local governments
1.0%$890 thousand
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to the state government
  • Sent to the state government$890 thousand
Housing and community development
0.8%$742 thousand
Interest on debt
0.4%$393 thousand
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$379 thousand
  • Interest on water supply debt$14 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Columbia County. 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 Columbia County 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.