City government · Sarasota County, FL

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended September 30, 2023), Sarasota took in $248 million and spent $251 million.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes40%Fees for services (sewer, water)39%Fines and other8.4%State tax money7.0%Federal tax money3.8%County and local tax money2.0%

What stands out

14%

of Sarasota's money comes from taxes other than property, sales and income taxes.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 7.2%.

City taxes40%

Property tax
19%$45.9 million
Other taxes
14%$34.6 million
What's in other taxesPublic utility taxes; occupation and business licenses and 3 more
  • Public utility taxes$13.4 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$8.3 million
  • Other licenses$7.7 million
  • Motor fuel taxes$2.7 million
  • Insurance premium taxes$2.5 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Sales tax
7.8%$19.2 million

Fees for services39%

Fees for services
39%$96.0 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 6 more
  • Sewer$30.8 million
  • Water$25.5 million
  • Parks and recreation$14.4 million
  • Garbage collection$13.2 million
  • Other service charges$8.0 million
  • Parking$3.4 million
  • Road charges$711 thousand
  • Parks, land and natural resources$82 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money3.8%

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

From the federal government
3.8%$9.4 million

State tax money7.0%

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

From the state
7.0%$17.4 million

County and local tax money2.0%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
2.0%$4.8 million

Fines and other8.4%

Interest, rents and other
7.0%$17.3 million
Fines
1.5%$3.6 million

Where it goes

Running the government and other costs30%Police, fire, courts and jails22%Water, sewer, trash and utilities18%Parks, recreation and libraries15%Roads, transit and parking7.2%All other spending7.9%

What stands out

30%

of Sarasota's spending goes to running the government and other costs.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 16%.

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs
30%$74.9 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$63.9 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$7.6 million
  • Other and not broken out$3.5 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
22%$55.4 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; inspections and regulation and 1 more
  • Police$47.0 million
  • Inspections and regulation$7.0 million
  • Courts and legal services$1.5 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
18%$46.1 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; garbage and solid waste and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$22.6 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$13.7 million
  • Water supply$9.7 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
15%$36.6 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$36.6 million
Roads, transit and parking
7.2%$18.1 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and parking
  • Roads and highways$13.7 million
  • Parking$4.4 million
Environment and natural resources
3.4%$8.6 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$8.6 million
Housing and community development
2.4%$6.1 million
Interest on debt
1.5%$3.8 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$2.2 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$1.7 million
Social services
0.5%$1.2 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$1.2 million
Health and hospitals
<0.1%$21 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$21 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Sarasota. 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 Sarasota 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.