City government · Warren County, KY

Bowling Green's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Bowling Green took in $284 million and spent $241 million.

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

See every government that serves your ZIP

Where it comes from

Fees for services (electric power, sewer)50%City taxes39%State tax money6.3%Fines and other3.9%Federal tax money0.7%County and local tax money0.2%

What stands out

21%

of Bowling Green's money comes from a personal income tax.Most U.S. cities of 50,000+ people get none.

City taxes39%

Individual income tax
21%$58.6 million
Business income tax
7.2%$20.5 million
Property tax
6.9%$19.7 million
Other taxes
4.4%$12.5 million
What's in other taxesInsurance premium taxes; other licenses and 3 more
  • Insurance premium taxes$7.6 million
  • Other licenses$1.6 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$1.5 million
  • Public utility taxes$1.5 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$382 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services50%

Fees for services
50%$141 million
What's in fees for servicesElectric power; sewer and 6 more
  • Electric power$92.7 million
  • Sewer$18.6 million
  • Water$18.6 million
  • Other government-run businesses$5.2 million
  • Parks and recreation$3.0 million
  • Other service charges$2.2 million
  • Airport$761 thousand
  • Housing$114 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money0.7%

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

From the federal government
0.7%$1.9 million

State tax money6.3%

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

From the state
6.3%$17.9 million

County and local tax money0.2%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
0.2%$637 thousand

Fines and other3.9%

Interest, rents and other
3.7%$10.6 million
Fines
0.2%$438 thousand

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities57%Police, fire, courts and jails19%Roads, transit and parking6.9%Running the government and other costs5.8%Parks, recreation and libraries5.0%All other spending6.1%

What stands out

57%

of Bowling Green's spending goes to water, sewer, trash and other utilities.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 20%.

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
57%$137 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesElectric power; sewer systems and 2 more
  • Electric power$89.9 million
  • Sewer systems$31.2 million
  • Water supply$16.3 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$33 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
19%$46.3 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsFire protection; police and 1 more
  • Fire protection$23.3 million
  • Police$22.3 million
  • Courts and legal services$718 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
6.9%$16.7 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; airports and 1 more
  • Roads and highways$12.6 million
  • Airports$2.3 million
  • Public transit$1.7 million
Running the government and other costs
5.8%$14.1 million
What's in running the government and other costsFinance, tax collection and budgeting; other and not broken out and 2 more
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$6.5 million
  • Other and not broken out$3.8 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$3.3 million
  • Other government-run businesses$357 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
5.0%$12.1 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$12.1 million
Housing and community development
4.2%$10.2 million
Interest on debt
0.9%$2.1 million
Sent to other local governments
0.8%$1.8 million
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to local governments: other and not broken out
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$1.8 million
Environment and natural resources
0.2%$579 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$579 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Bowling Green. 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 Bowling Green 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.