City government · Polk County, FL

Winter Haven's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended September 30, 2023), Winter Haven took in $154 million and spent $140 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Fees for services (water, garbage collection)41%City taxes31%Fines and other18%State tax money3.8%County and local tax money3.0%Federal tax money2.9%

What stands out

18%

of Winter Haven's money comes from interest, rents and other revenue.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 6.9%.

City taxes31%

Property tax
17%$25.6 million
Other taxes
15%$22.3 million
What's in other taxesPublic utility taxes; occupation and business licenses and 3 more
  • Public utility taxes$8.8 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$5.6 million
  • Other licenses$4.4 million
  • Motor fuel taxes$2.4 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$1.1 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services41%

Fees for services
41%$63.7 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; garbage collection and 6 more
  • Water$41.4 million
  • Garbage collection$10.2 million
  • Parks, land and natural resources$4.3 million
  • Other service charges$3.6 million
  • Parks and recreation$2.4 million
  • Airport$1.0 million
  • Road charges$457 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$297 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money2.9%

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

From the federal government
2.9%$4.5 million

State tax money3.8%

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

From the state
3.8%$5.8 million

County and local tax money3.0%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
3.0%$4.6 million

Fines and other18%

Interest, rents and other
18%$27.1 million
Fines
0.2%$317 thousand

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities30%Running the government and other costs27%Police, fire, courts and jails21%Parks, recreation and libraries9.4%Roads, transit and parking9.0%All other spending4.3%

What stands out

27%

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

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
30%$41.6 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems and garbage and solid waste
  • Sewer systems$31.4 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$10.2 million
Running the government and other costs
27%$37.4 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; finance, tax collection and budgeting and 1 more
  • Other and not broken out$21.7 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$14.0 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.8 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
21%$29.5 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$14.2 million
  • Fire protection$10.9 million
  • Inspections and regulation$3.9 million
  • Courts and legal services$558 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
9.4%$13.2 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$11.1 million
  • Libraries$2.1 million
Roads, transit and parking
9.0%$12.7 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and airports
  • Roads and highways$7.2 million
  • Airports$5.5 million
Interest on debt
2.3%$3.3 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$1.8 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$1.4 million
Environment and natural resources
1.5%$2.1 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$2.1 million
Social services
0.5%$712 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$712 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Winter Haven. 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 Winter Haven 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.