City government · Cerro Gordo County, IA

Clear Lake's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Clear Lake took in $20.5 million and spent $19.0 million.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes59%Fees for services (water, parks and recreation)17%State tax money10%Fines and other7.7%Federal tax money5.8%County and local tax money1.1%

What stands out

46%

of Clear Lake's money comes from property tax.A typical U.S. city, town or village of under 10,000 people gets 15%.

City taxes59%

Property tax
46%$9.4 million
Sales tax
9.0%$1.8 million
Other taxes
4.2%$854 thousand
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; other licenses and 1 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$469 thousand
  • Other licenses$223 thousand
  • Public utility taxes$162 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services17%

Fees for services
17%$3.4 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; parks and recreation and 7 more
  • Water$998 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$643 thousand
  • Electric power$638 thousand
  • Other service charges$541 thousand
  • Sewer$407 thousand
  • Gas$151 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$51 thousand
  • Road charges$2 thousand
  • Housing$1 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money5.8%

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

From the federal government
5.8%$1.2 million

State tax money10%

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

From the state
10%$2.1 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%$217 thousand

Fines and other7.7%

Interest, rents and other
7.2%$1.5 million
Fines
0.6%$115 thousand

Where it goes

Running the government and other costs27%Parks, recreation and libraries23%Police, fire, courts and jails17%Water, sewer, trash and utilities14%Roads, transit and parking12%All other spending7.1%

What stands out

23%

of Clear Lake's spending goes to parks, recreation and libraries.A typical U.S. city, town or village of under 10,000 people spends 2.2%.

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs
27%$5.2 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; government buildings and 3 more
  • Other and not broken out$3.5 million
  • Government buildings$898 thousand
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$636 thousand
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$126 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$33 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
23%$4.3 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$3.5 million
  • Libraries$804 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
17%$3.2 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 1 more
  • Police$2.8 million
  • Fire protection$393 thousand
  • Courts and legal services$57 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
14%$2.7 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; garbage and solid waste and 1 more
  • Water supply$1.5 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$636 thousand
  • Sewer systems$533 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
12%$2.2 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$2.2 million
Health and hospitals
6.3%$1.2 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$1.2 million
Housing and community development
0.6%$115 thousand
Interest on debt
0.2%$33 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Clear Lake. 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 Clear Lake 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.