Town government · Cumberland County, ME

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Scarborough took in $102 million and spent $125 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Town taxes55%State tax money19%Fines and other10%Federal tax money9.8%Fees for services (parks and recreation, school lunches)6.0%

What stands out

10%

of Scarborough's money comes from federal tax money.Most U.S. townships and towns of 10,000 to 50,000 people get none.

Town taxes55%

Property tax
53%$54.3 million
Other taxes
1.6%$1.7 million
What's in other taxesOther licenses and occupation and business licenses
  • Other licenses$1.3 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$371 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services6.0%

Fees for services
6.0%$6.1 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; parks and recreation and 4 more
  • Other service charges$2.8 million
  • Parks and recreation$2.7 million
  • School lunches$320 thousand
  • Other school charges$159 thousand
  • School tuition and transportation$52 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$35 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money9.8%

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

From the federal government
9.8%$10.0 million

State tax money19%

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

From the state
19%$19.0 million

Fines and other10%

Interest, rents and other
10%$10.5 million

Where it goes

Schools and colleges52%Running the government and other costs18%Police, fire, courts and jails12%Roads, transit and parking9.4%Parks, recreation and libraries4.0%All other spending3.7%

What stands out

52%

of Scarborough'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
52%$65.4 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$65.4 million
Running the government and other costs
18%$23.1 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$11.1 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$8.9 million
  • Government buildings$1.7 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.4 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
12%$15.4 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice and fire protection
  • Police$8.0 million
  • Fire protection$7.4 million
Roads, transit and parking
9.4%$11.8 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$11.8 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
4.0%$5.0 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$3.7 million
  • Libraries$1.3 million
Interest on debt
2.5%$3.2 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
0.8%$1.1 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$1.1 million
Social services
0.3%$438 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$438 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Town of Scarborough. 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 Scarborough 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.