City government · Polk County, IA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Johnston took in $57.9 million and spent $58.4 million.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes58%Fees for services (water, sewer)26%State tax money7.8%Fines and other7.5%County and local tax money0.1%

What stands out

47%

of Johnston's money comes from property tax.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people gets 19%.

City taxes58%

Property tax
47%$27.4 million
Sales tax
8.1%$4.7 million
Other taxes
2.8%$1.6 million
What's in other taxesOther licenses; public utility taxes and 1 more
  • Other licenses$694 thousand
  • Public utility taxes$560 thousand
  • Other selective sales taxes$383 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services26%

Fees for services
26%$15.2 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; sewer and 5 more
  • Water$7.8 million
  • Sewer$5.4 million
  • Garbage collection$1.2 million
  • Other service charges$610 thousand
  • Housing$132 thousand
  • Road charges$24 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$14 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money<0.1%

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

From the federal government
<0.1%$2 thousand

State tax money7.8%

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

From the state
7.8%$4.5 million

County and local tax money0.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
0.1%$83 thousand

Fines and other7.5%

Interest, rents and other
7.5%$4.3 million
Fines
<0.1%$38 thousand

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities32%Sent to other local governments15%Police, fire, courts and jails14%Running the government and other costs11%Interest on debt8.2%All other spending20%

What stands out

15%

of Johnston's spending goes to local governments.Most U.S. cities of 10,000 to 50,000 people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
32%$18.5 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; water supply and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$10.6 million
  • Water supply$6.6 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$1.3 million
Sent to other local governments
15%$8.7 million
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to local governments: other and not broken out and sent to the state government
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$6.6 million
  • Sent to the state government$2.1 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
14%$7.9 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$5.7 million
  • Fire protection$1.6 million
  • Inspections and regulation$577 thousand
  • Courts and legal services$60 thousand
Running the government and other costs
11%$6.6 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$4.5 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.4 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$543 thousand
  • Government buildings$128 thousand
Interest on debt
8.2%$4.8 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$4.6 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$123 thousand
Health and hospitals
7.8%$4.6 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$4.6 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
7.3%$4.3 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$2.7 million
  • Libraries$1.6 million
Roads, transit and parking
5.3%$3.1 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$3.1 million
Social services
<0.1%$25 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$25 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Johnston. 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 Johnston 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.