City government · DeKalb County, GA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Decatur took in $48.9 million and spent $61.3 million.

Latest recorded year: ended June 30, 2024Comes from Goes to

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Where it comes from

City taxes53%Fees for services (sewer, parks and recreation)24%County and local tax money12%Federal tax money7.4%Fines and other3.3%State tax money1.1%

What stands out

12%

of Decatur's money comes from county and other local tax money.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people gets 0.8%.

City taxes53%

Property tax

34%$16.9 million

Other taxes

18%$9.0 million

What's in other taxesInsurance premium taxes; other licenses and 6 more

Insurance premium taxes$2.2 million
Other licenses$2.1 million
Public utility taxes$1.7 million
Other selective sales taxes$1.6 million
Alcoholic beverage taxes$612 thousand
Occupation and business licenses$361 thousand
Alcoholic beverage licenses$216 thousand
Other taxes not classified elsewhere$161 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services24%

Fees for services

24%$11.6 million

What's in fees for servicesSewer; parks and recreation and 2 more

Sewer$3.9 million
Parks and recreation$3.6 million
Garbage collection$2.9 million
Other service charges$1.2 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money7.4%

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

From the federal government

7.4%$3.6 million

State tax money1.1%

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

From the state

1.1%$520 thousand

County and local tax money12%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments

12%$5.7 million

Fines and other3.3%

Interest, rents and other

2.2%$1.1 million

Fines

1.1%$550 thousand

Where it goes

Running the government and other costs35%Police, fire, courts and jails22%Roads, transit and parking18%Interest on debt10%Parks, recreation and libraries9.5%All other spending5.9%

What stands out

10%

of Decatur's spending goes to interest on debt.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people spends 2.2%.

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs

35%$21.3 million

What's in running the government and other costsGovernment buildings; other and not broken out and 3 more

Government buildings$9.1 million
Other and not broken out$6.1 million
Finance, tax collection and budgeting$3.3 million
Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$2.3 million
Other government-run businesses$549 thousand

Police, fire, courts and jails

22%$13.6 million

What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more

Police$6.1 million
Fire protection$4.5 million
Inspections and regulation$1.8 million
Courts and legal services$1.2 million

Roads, transit and parking

18%$10.8 million

What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways

Roads and highways$10.8 million

Interest on debt

10%$6.1 million

Parks, recreation and libraries

9.5%$5.8 million

What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation

Parks and recreation$5.8 million

Water, sewer, trash and utilities

5.5%$3.4 million

What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste

Garbage and solid waste$3.4 million

Housing and community development

0.4%$217 thousand

Health and hospitals

<0.1%$28 thousand

What's in health and hospitalsPublic health

Public health$28 thousand

Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

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

What this covers. The money of City of Decatur 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.