City government · Lowndes County, GA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Valdosta took in $119 million and spent $99.4 million.

Latest recorded year: ended June 30, 2024Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

Fees for services (sewer, water)30%City taxes29%County and local tax money25%Federal tax money11%Fines and other4.5%State tax money0.3%

What stands out

25%

of Valdosta's money comes from county and other local tax money.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 0.9%.

City taxes29%

Property tax
15%$17.8 million
Other taxes
14%$16.3 million
What's in other taxesInsurance premium taxes; public utility taxes and 6 more
  • Insurance premium taxes$4.9 million
  • Public utility taxes$4.0 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$3.5 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$2.4 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$910 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$448 thousand
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$177 thousand
  • Other licenses$10 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services30%

Fees for services
30%$35.9 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 4 more
  • Sewer$19.8 million
  • Water$6.7 million
  • Garbage collection$6.4 million
  • Transit fares$1.9 million
  • Other service charges$682 thousand
  • Road charges$302 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money11%

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

From the federal government
11%$13.0 million

State tax money0.3%

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

From the state
0.3%$311 thousand

County and local tax money25%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
25%$30.0 million

Fines and other4.5%

Interest, rents and other
4.0%$4.7 million
Fines
0.5%$601 thousand

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities42%Police, fire, courts and jails27%Running the government and other costs16%Roads, transit and parking10%Interest on debt2.0%All other spending3.8%

What stands out

42%

of Valdosta's spending goes to water, sewer, trash and other utilities.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 20%.

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
42%$41.3 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; garbage and solid waste and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$19.2 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$13.8 million
  • Water supply$8.4 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
27%$26.4 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$15.7 million
  • Fire protection$9.7 million
  • Courts and legal services$719 thousand
  • Prisons and jails$236 thousand
Running the government and other costs
16%$15.9 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 3 more
  • Other and not broken out$9.9 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$2.5 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$2.3 million
  • Other government-run businesses$660 thousand
  • Government buildings$467 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
10%$9.9 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$9.9 million
Interest on debt
2.0%$2.0 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$1.6 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$427 thousand
Sent to other local governments
1.8%$1.8 million
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to local governments: other and not broken out
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$1.8 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
1.8%$1.8 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$1.8 million
Housing and community development
0.2%$197 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Valdosta. 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 Valdosta 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.