City government · Madison County, IL

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended March 31, 2024), Alton took in $60.8 million and spent $49.8 million.

Latest recorded year: ended March 31, 2024Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

City taxes40%State tax money30%Fees for services (garbage collection, parks and recreation)12%Federal tax money11%Fines and other7.2%

What stands out

30%

of Alton's money comes from state tax money.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people gets 7%.

City taxes40%

Other taxes
23%$14.2 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; public utility taxes and 1 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$10.1 million
  • Public utility taxes$3.0 million
  • Other licenses$1.1 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
16%$10.0 million

Fees for services12%

Fees for services
12%$7.1 million
What's in fees for servicesGarbage collection; other service charges and 3 more
  • Garbage collection$3.5 million
  • Other service charges$3.2 million
  • Parks and recreation$151 thousand
  • Parking$138 thousand
  • Sewer$119 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%$7.0 million

State tax money30%

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

From the state
30%$18.3 million

Fines and other7.2%

Interest, rents and other
6.3%$3.8 million
Fines
0.9%$534 thousand

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails54%Running the government and other costs18%Roads, transit and parking10%Parks, recreation and libraries7.1%Water, sewer, trash and utilities6.3%All other spending4.2%

What stands out

54%

of Alton's spending goes to police, fire, courts and jails.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people spends 24%.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
54%$26.8 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice and fire protection
  • Police$16.6 million
  • Fire protection$10.2 million
Running the government and other costs
18%$9.0 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$5.6 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.8 million
  • Other and not broken out$1.6 million
Roads, transit and parking
10%$5.2 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$5.2 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
7.1%$3.5 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$3.5 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
6.3%$3.2 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$3.2 million
Housing and community development
3.3%$1.7 million
Health and hospitals
0.5%$242 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$242 thousand
Interest on debt
0.4%$199 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Alton. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended March 31, 2024.

What this covers. The money of City of Alton 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.