City government · LaSalle County, IL

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended April 30, 2024), Ottawa took in $47.6 million and spent $52.2 million.

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

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Where it comes from

State tax money39%City taxes28%Fees for services (water, parks and recreation)27%Federal tax money3.2%Fines and other2.9%

What stands out

39%

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

City taxes28%

Property tax
27%$12.9 million
Other taxes
0.9%$451 thousand
What's in other taxesOther licenses and public utility taxes
  • Other licenses$445 thousand
  • Public utility taxes$6 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services27%

Fees for services
27%$12.6 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; other service charges and 1 more
  • Water$9.1 million
  • Other service charges$3.5 million
  • Parks and recreation$43 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money3.2%

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

From the federal government
3.2%$1.5 million

State tax money39%

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

From the state
39%$18.8 million

Fines and other2.9%

Interest, rents and other
2.5%$1.2 million
Fines
0.3%$150 thousand

Where it goes

Running the government and other costs43%Water, sewer, trash and utilities23%Police, fire, courts and jails20%Roads, transit and parking9.8%Interest on debt2.5%All other spending2.1%

What stands out

43%

of Ottawa's spending goes to running the government and other costs.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people spends 18%.

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs
43%$22.2 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$10.8 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$6.7 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$4.7 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
23%$12.2 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste and water supply
  • Garbage and solid waste$7.2 million
  • Water supply$5.0 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
20%$10.4 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice and fire protection
  • Police$5.6 million
  • Fire protection$4.8 million
Roads, transit and parking
9.8%$5.1 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$5.1 million
Interest on debt
2.5%$1.3 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
2.0%$1.1 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$1.1 million
Health and hospitals
<0.1%$16 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$16 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

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

What this covers. The money of City of Ottawa 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.