City government · Wicomico County, MD

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Salisbury took in $81.8 million and spent $79.4 million.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes46%Fees for services (sewer, water)37%State tax money7.2%County and local tax money5.2%Fines and other3.9%Federal tax money1.6%

What stands out

39%

of Salisbury's money comes from property tax.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people gets 19%.

City taxes46%

Property tax
39%$31.8 million
Individual income tax
3.8%$3.1 million
Other taxes
3.0%$2.5 million
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses; other licenses and 4 more
  • Occupation and business licenses$1.1 million
  • Other licenses$577 thousand
  • Public utility licenses$318 thousand
  • Other selective sales taxes$281 thousand
  • Amusement taxes$191 thousand
  • Amusement licenses$2 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services37%

Fees for services
37%$29.9 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 4 more
  • Sewer$14.5 million
  • Water$6.0 million
  • Other service charges$6.0 million
  • Garbage collection$2.4 million
  • Parking$838 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$76 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%$1.3 million

State tax money7.2%

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

From the state
7.2%$5.9 million

County and local tax money5.2%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
5.2%$4.2 million

Fines and other3.9%

Interest, rents and other
3.0%$2.5 million
Fines
0.8%$686 thousand

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails40%Water, sewer, trash and utilities29%Running the government and other costs11%Roads, transit and parking11%Interest on debt4.5%All other spending4.7%

What stands out

40%

of Salisbury's spending goes to police, fire, courts and jails.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people spends 24%.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
40%$31.7 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$16.6 million
  • Fire protection$12.9 million
  • Inspections and regulation$1.7 million
  • Courts and legal services$467 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
29%$22.7 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; water supply and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$13.5 million
  • Water supply$6.4 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$2.8 million
Running the government and other costs
11%$9.0 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$3.9 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$2.8 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$2.0 million
  • Government buildings$317 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
11%$8.8 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and parking
  • Roads and highways$8.2 million
  • Parking$603 thousand
Interest on debt
4.5%$3.5 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
4.2%$3.3 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$3.3 million
Health and hospitals
0.3%$260 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$260 thousand
Housing and community development
0.2%$129 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Salisbury. 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 Salisbury 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.