Town government · Harford County, MD

Bel Air's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Bel Air took in $20.7 million and spent $22.1 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Town taxes58%Fees for services (sewer, parking)19%Federal tax money8.3%Fines and other8.2%State tax money5.1%County and local tax money0.7%

What stands out

11%

of Bel Air's money comes from a personal income tax.Most U.S. cities of 10,000 to 50,000 people get none.

Town taxes58%

Property tax
46%$9.5 million
Individual income tax
11%$2.3 million
Other taxes
1.5%$311 thousand
What's in other taxesPublic utility licenses; amusement taxes and 2 more
  • Public utility licenses$127 thousand
  • Amusement taxes$72 thousand
  • Occupation and business licenses$62 thousand
  • Other licenses$50 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services19%

Fees for services
19%$4.0 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; parking and 3 more
  • Sewer$3.4 million
  • Parking$283 thousand
  • Road charges$133 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$121 thousand
  • Other service charges$77 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money8.3%

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

From the federal government
8.3%$1.7 million

State tax money5.1%

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

From the state
5.1%$1.0 million

County and local tax money0.7%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
0.7%$137 thousand

Fines and other8.2%

Interest, rents and other
5.3%$1.1 million
Fines
2.9%$596 thousand

Where it goes

Running the government and other costs35%Police, fire, courts and jails33%Water, sewer, trash and utilities22%Roads, transit and parking8.2%Interest on debt1.3%Parks, recreation and libraries0.8%

What stands out

35%

of Bel Air'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
35%$7.6 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$3.1 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.8 million
  • Government buildings$1.4 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.3 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
33%$7.3 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; courts and legal services and 2 more
  • Police$6.8 million
  • Courts and legal services$224 thousand
  • Fire protection$165 thousand
  • Inspections and regulation$57 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
22%$4.9 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; garbage and solid waste and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$3.6 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$1.2 million
  • Electric power$109 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
8.2%$1.8 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and parking
  • Roads and highways$1.5 million
  • Parking$256 thousand
Interest on debt
1.3%$293 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.8%$180 thousand
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$180 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Town of Bel Air. 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 Bel Air 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.