Town government · Worcester County, MA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2022), Spencer took in $30.1 million and spent $27.5 million.

Latest recorded year: ended June 30, 2022Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

Town taxes66%Fees for services (sewer, water)15%State tax money10%Federal tax money5.3%Fines and other2.7%County and local tax money0.2%

What stands out

5.3%

of Spencer's money comes from federal tax money.Most U.S. townships and towns of 10,000 to 50,000 people get none.

Town taxes66%

Property tax
65%$19.5 million
Other taxes
1.4%$436 thousand
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes and other licenses
  • Other selective sales taxes$279 thousand
  • Other licenses$157 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services15%

Fees for services
15%$4.6 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 2 more
  • Sewer$2.1 million
  • Water$1.7 million
  • Other service charges$472 thousand
  • Garbage collection$335 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money5.3%

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

From the federal government
5.3%$1.6 million

State tax money10%

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

From the state
10%$3.1 million

County and local tax money0.2%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
0.2%$59 thousand

Fines and other2.7%

Interest, rents and other
2.7%$803 thousand
Fines
<0.1%$12 thousand

Where it goes

Schools and colleges39%Running the government and other costs21%Police, fire, courts and jails14%Water, sewer, trash and utilities12%Roads, transit and parking6.6%All other spending6.7%

What stands out

39%

of Spencer'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
39%$10.8 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$10.8 million
Running the government and other costs
21%$5.8 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; finance, tax collection and budgeting and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$4.8 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$709 thousand
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$194 thousand
  • Government buildings$70 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
14%$3.9 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$2.4 million
  • Fire protection$1.1 million
  • Inspections and regulation$268 thousand
  • Courts and legal services$122 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
12%$3.3 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; water supply and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$2.0 million
  • Water supply$998 thousand
  • Garbage and solid waste$314 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
6.6%$1.8 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$1.8 million
Interest on debt
2.7%$729 thousand
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$587 thousand
  • Interest on water supply debt$142 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
1.7%$454 thousand
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries and parks and recreation
  • Libraries$448 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$6 thousand
Housing and community development
0.9%$261 thousand
Sent to other local governments
0.6%$176 thousand
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to the state government and sent to local governments: other and not broken out
  • Sent to the state government$131 thousand
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$45 thousand
Social services
0.5%$148 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$148 thousand
Health and hospitals
0.3%$72 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$72 thousand
Environment and natural resources
<0.1%$5 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$5 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Town of Spencer. U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments, Finance, individual unit file, fiscal year ended June 30, 2022. The Census record for this government is from the 2022 survey, the newest on file.

What this covers. The money of Town of Spencer 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.