Town government · Plymouth County, MA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Scituate took in $133 million and spent $145 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Town taxes65%Fees for services (water, sewer)16%State tax money14%Fines and other3.2%Federal tax money1.7%

What stands out

16%

of Scituate'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 taxes65%

Property tax
63%$84.1 million
Other taxes
1.4%$1.8 million
What's in other taxesOther licenses and other selective sales taxes
  • Other licenses$1.1 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$741 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services16%

Fees for services
16%$21.9 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; sewer and 7 more
  • Water$7.9 million
  • Sewer$4.7 million
  • Other service charges$3.5 million
  • Parks and recreation$2.0 million
  • Garbage collection$1.8 million
  • Ports and waterways$1.4 million
  • School tuition and transportation$437 thousand
  • School lunches$148 thousand
  • Other school charges$73 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money1.7%

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

From the federal government
1.7%$2.3 million

State tax money14%

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

From the state
14%$18.4 million

Fines and other3.2%

Interest, rents and other
3.2%$4.2 million
Fines
<0.1%$36 thousand

Where it goes

Schools and colleges47%Running the government and other costs23%Water, sewer, trash and utilities13%Police, fire, courts and jails7.8%Interest on debt3.0%All other spending6.1%

What stands out

47%

of Scituate'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
47%$67.5 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$67.5 million
Running the government and other costs
23%$33.7 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; government buildings and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$29.9 million
  • Government buildings$1.5 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.3 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$967 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
13%$18.9 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; sewer systems and 1 more
  • Water supply$10.3 million
  • Sewer systems$7.1 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$1.5 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
7.8%$11.3 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsFire protection; police and 1 more
  • Fire protection$5.6 million
  • Police$4.7 million
  • Inspections and regulation$1.1 million
Interest on debt
3.0%$4.4 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$3.4 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$1.0 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
2.5%$3.7 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$2.0 million
  • Libraries$1.7 million
Roads, transit and parking
2.4%$3.4 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and ports and harbors
  • Roads and highways$2.3 million
  • Ports and harbors$1.1 million
Sent to other local governments
0.7%$1.0 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$858 thousand
  • Sent to the state government$153 thousand
Health and hospitals
0.2%$311 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$311 thousand
Environment and natural resources
0.2%$227 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$227 thousand
Social services
<0.1%$136 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$136 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Town of Scituate. 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 Scituate 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.