City government · Cerro Gordo County, IA

Mason City's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Mason City took in $76.7 million and spent $86.6 million.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes36%Fees for services (water, sewer)24%Federal tax money17%Fines and other12%State tax money11%County and local tax money0.1%

What stands out

17%

of Mason City's money comes from federal tax money.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people gets 1.2%.

City taxes36%

Property tax
25%$18.9 million
Sales tax
8.5%$6.5 million
Other taxes
2.4%$1.9 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; other licenses and 1 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$885 thousand
  • Other licenses$604 thousand
  • Public utility taxes$391 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services24%

Fees for services
24%$18.8 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; sewer and 8 more
  • Water$7.0 million
  • Sewer$5.5 million
  • Other service charges$2.5 million
  • Garbage collection$1.9 million
  • Parks and recreation$1.5 million
  • Other government-run businesses$231 thousand
  • Airport$88 thousand
  • Transit fares$56 thousand
  • Parking$50 thousand
  • Road charges$13 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money17%

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

From the federal government
17%$13.4 million

State tax money11%

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

From the state
11%$8.1 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%$100 thousand

Fines and other12%

Interest, rents and other
12%$9.0 million
Fines
<0.1%$43 thousand

Where it goes

Running the government and other costs57%Water, sewer, trash and utilities16%Police, fire, courts and jails14%Roads, transit and parking5.2%Parks, recreation and libraries4.8%All other spending3.1%

What stands out

57%

of Mason City'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
57%$49.5 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 3 more
  • Other and not broken out$47.6 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$806 thousand
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$496 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$446 thousand
  • Government buildings$215 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
16%$13.6 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; sewer systems and 1 more
  • Water supply$6.4 million
  • Sewer systems$5.1 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$2.0 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
14%$12.1 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$7.4 million
  • Fire protection$4.2 million
  • Inspections and regulation$388 thousand
  • Courts and legal services$87 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
5.2%$4.5 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; airports and 1 more
  • Roads and highways$3.6 million
  • Airports$827 thousand
  • Parking$70 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
4.8%$4.1 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$2.6 million
  • Libraries$1.5 million
Interest on debt
2.4%$2.1 million
Health and hospitals
0.4%$376 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$376 thousand
Social services
0.3%$219 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$219 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Mason City. 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 Mason City 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.