Town government · Middlesex County, MA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Reading took in $278 million and spent $269 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Fees for services (electric power, water)50%Town taxes34%State tax money13%Fines and other3.0%Federal tax money0.2%County and local tax money<0.1%

What stands out

50%

of Reading's money comes from fees for services such as water, sewer and parking.A typical U.S. township or town of 10,000 to 50,000 people gets 8.8%.

Town taxes34%

Property tax
34%$95.1 million
Other taxes
0.3%$874 thousand
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes and other licenses
  • Other selective sales taxes$700 thousand
  • Other licenses$174 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services50%

Fees for services
50%$138 million
What's in fees for servicesElectric power; water and 6 more
  • Electric power$113 million
  • Water$9.1 million
  • Sewer$8.1 million
  • Other service charges$3.3 million
  • School tuition and transportation$2.8 million
  • Parks and recreation$589 thousand
  • Other school charges$408 thousand
  • School lunches$201 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money0.2%

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

From the federal government
0.2%$469 thousand

State tax money13%

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

From the state
13%$35.6 million

County and local tax money<0.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
<0.1%$159 thousand

Fines and other3.0%

Interest, rents and other
3.0%$8.3 million
Fines
<0.1%$114 thousand

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities42%Schools and colleges33%Running the government and other costs14%Police, fire, courts and jails6.6%Roads, transit and parking1.3%All other spending2.7%

What stands out

33%

of Reading'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%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
42%$114 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesElectric power; water supply and 2 more
  • Electric power$90.5 million
  • Water supply$13.8 million
  • Sewer systems$7.5 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$2.4 million
Schools and colleges
33%$89.0 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$89.0 million
Running the government and other costs
14%$37.3 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; government buildings and 3 more
  • Other and not broken out$27.7 million
  • Government buildings$7.3 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.6 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$675 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$12 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
6.6%$17.7 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$9.6 million
  • Fire protection$7.5 million
  • Courts and legal services$331 thousand
  • Inspections and regulation$311 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
1.3%$3.4 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$3.4 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
1.3%$3.4 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries and parks and recreation
  • Libraries$2.1 million
  • Parks and recreation$1.3 million
Sent to other local governments
0.7%$1.9 million
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to local governments: other and not broken out and sent to the state government
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$1.3 million
  • Sent to the state government$624 thousand
Interest on debt
0.4%$1.2 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$876 thousand
  • Interest on water supply debt$311 thousand
Health and hospitals
0.2%$479 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$479 thousand
Social services
<0.1%$198 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$198 thousand
Environment and natural resources
<0.1%$105 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$105 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Town of Reading. 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 Reading 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.