City government · Kennebec County, ME

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Waterville took in $46.2 million and spent $65.2 million.

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

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Where it comes from

State tax money53%City taxes32%Fines and other8.3%Fees for services (airport, garbage collection)2.7%Federal tax money2.2%County and local tax money1.7%

What stands out

53%

of Waterville's money comes from state tax money.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people gets 7%.

City taxes32%

Property tax
23%$10.6 million
Other taxes
9.0%$4.2 million
What's in other taxesMotor vehicle licenses; other taxes not classified elsewhere and 3 more
  • Motor vehicle licenses$2.1 million
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$2.0 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$115 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$7 thousand
  • Amusement licenses$1 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services2.7%

Fees for services
2.7%$1.2 million
What's in fees for servicesAirport; garbage collection and 4 more
  • Airport$628 thousand
  • Garbage collection$412 thousand
  • School tuition and transportation$97 thousand
  • School lunches$69 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$17 thousand
  • Other school charges$13 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money2.2%

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

From the federal government
2.2%$999 thousand

State tax money53%

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

From the state
53%$24.6 million

County and local tax money1.7%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
1.7%$797 thousand

Fines and other8.3%

Interest, rents and other
8.2%$3.8 million
Fines
<0.1%$19 thousand

Where it goes

Schools and colleges60%Police, fire, courts and jails16%Running the government and other costs9.9%Roads, transit and parking7.4%Parks, recreation and libraries2.9%All other spending3.9%

What stands out

60%

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

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
60%$38.8 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$38.8 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
16%$10.6 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$5.5 million
  • Fire protection$4.9 million
  • Inspections and regulation$124 thousand
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$41 thousand
Running the government and other costs
9.9%$6.5 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$3.0 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$2.3 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$768 thousand
  • Government buildings$366 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
7.4%$4.8 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and airports
  • Roads and highways$3.7 million
  • Airports$1.1 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
2.9%$1.9 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries and parks and recreation
  • Libraries$996 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$921 thousand
Sent to other local governments
1.5%$948 thousand
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$948 thousand
Interest on debt
0.9%$580 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
0.8%$513 thousand
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$513 thousand
Social services
0.4%$269 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$269 thousand
Health and hospitals
0.4%$244 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$244 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Waterville. 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 Waterville 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.