City government · Cook County, IL

Des Plaines's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Des Plaines took in $163 million and spent $153 million.

Latest recorded year: ended December 31, 2023Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

State tax money40%City taxes39%Fees for services (water, sewer)15%Fines and other4.0%Federal tax money1.1%County and local tax money1.1%

What stands out

40%

of Des Plaines' money comes from state tax money.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 6.4%.

City taxes39%

Property tax
22%$35.5 million
Other taxes
14%$23.6 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; public utility taxes and 1 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$16.2 million
  • Public utility taxes$4.5 million
  • Other licenses$2.8 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Sales tax
2.8%$4.5 million

Fees for services15%

Fees for services
15%$24.0 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; other service charges and 3 more
  • Water$17.1 million
  • Other service charges$4.6 million
  • Sewer$2.0 million
  • Parking$305 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$3 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money1.1%

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

From the federal government
1.1%$1.8 million

State tax money40%

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

From the state
40%$65.7 million

County and local tax money1.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
1.1%$1.7 million

Fines and other4.0%

Interest, rents and other
3.5%$5.7 million
Fines
0.6%$922 thousand

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails39%Running the government and other costs22%Water, sewer, trash and utilities15%Roads, transit and parking13%Interest on debt6.1%All other spending5.4%

What stands out

39%

of Des Plaines' spending goes to police, fire, courts and jails.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 25%.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
39%$59.2 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice and fire protection
  • Police$35.0 million
  • Fire protection$24.2 million
Running the government and other costs
22%$34.2 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 1 more
  • Other and not broken out$17.5 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$15.4 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.4 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
15%$23.0 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply and sewer systems
  • Water supply$22.3 million
  • Sewer systems$713 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
13%$19.2 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$19.2 million
Interest on debt
6.1%$9.4 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
3.8%$5.9 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries
  • Libraries$5.9 million
Housing and community development
1.6%$2.4 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Des Plaines. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.

What this covers. The money of City of Des Plaines 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.