Town government · Cumberland County, ME

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Gorham took in $79.7 million and spent $89.6 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Town taxes56%State tax money33%Fees for services (parks and recreation, sewer)6.4%Fines and other3.0%Federal tax money1.6%County and local tax money0.5%

What stands out

33%

of Gorham's money comes from state tax money.A typical U.S. township or town of 10,000 to 50,000 people gets 8.8%.

Town taxes56%

Property tax
49%$38.8 million
Other taxes
7.2%$5.7 million
What's in other taxesMotor vehicle licenses; occupation and business licenses and 3 more
  • Motor vehicle licenses$4.6 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$967 thousand
  • Other licenses$115 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$22 thousand
  • Public utility licenses$4 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services6.4%

Fees for services
6.4%$5.1 million
What's in fees for servicesParks and recreation; sewer and 8 more
  • Parks and recreation$1.4 million
  • Sewer$1.4 million
  • Hospital bills$829 thousand
  • Garbage collection$740 thousand
  • School lunches$310 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$208 thousand
  • Other service charges$87 thousand
  • School tuition and transportation$58 thousand
  • Other school charges$8 thousand
  • Parking$1 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money1.6%

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

From the federal government
1.6%$1.2 million

State tax money33%

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

From the state
33%$26.1 million

County and local tax money0.5%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
0.5%$390 thousand

Fines and other3.0%

Interest, rents and other
3.0%$2.4 million
Fines
<0.1%$4 thousand

Where it goes

Schools and colleges65%Roads, transit and parking11%Running the government and other costs7.8%Police, fire, courts and jails6.8%Sent to other local governments4.4%All other spending5.3%

What stands out

65%

of Gorham's spending goes to schools and colleges.Most U.S. townships and towns of 10,000 to 50,000 people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
65%$58.0 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$58.0 million
Roads, transit and parking
11%$9.8 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$9.8 million
Running the government and other costs
7.8%$7.0 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$3.9 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.9 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$683 thousand
  • Government buildings$400 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$99 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
6.8%$6.0 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsFire protection; police and 1 more
  • Fire protection$3.1 million
  • Police$2.6 million
  • Inspections and regulation$267 thousand
Sent to other local governments
4.4%$4.0 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$4.0 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
3.4%$3.1 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$2.3 million
  • Libraries$794 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
1.4%$1.2 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste and sewer systems
  • Garbage and solid waste$1.1 million
  • Sewer systems$97 thousand
Interest on debt
0.4%$321 thousand
Social services
0.1%$113 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$113 thousand
Health and hospitals
<0.1%$64 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$64 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Town of Gorham. 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 Town of Gorham 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.