City government · Macomb County, MI

Sterling Heights's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Sterling Heights took in $295 million and spent $260 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Fees for services (sewer, water)44%City taxes32%State tax money16%Fines and other5.1%Federal tax money2.6%County and local tax money1.3%

What stands out

16%

of Sterling Heights' money comes from state tax money.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 6.4%.

City taxes32%

Property tax
31%$90.4 million
Other taxes
1.3%$3.7 million
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses and other licenses
  • Occupation and business licenses$2.1 million
  • Other licenses$1.6 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services44%

Fees for services
44%$129 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; sewer and 2 more
  • Other service charges$73.7 million
  • Sewer$33.2 million
  • Water$21.8 million
  • Housing$19 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money2.6%

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

From the federal government
2.6%$7.6 million

State tax money16%

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

From the state
16%$46.0 million

County and local tax money1.3%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
1.3%$4.0 million

Fines and other5.1%

Interest, rents and other
4.3%$12.8 million
Fines
0.7%$2.1 million

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails30%Water, sewer, trash and utilities25%Running the government and other costs21%Roads, transit and parking15%Parks, recreation and libraries4.1%All other spending4.9%

What stands out

15%

of Sterling Heights' spending goes to roads, transit and parking.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 10%.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
30%$77.1 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$42.5 million
  • Fire protection$27.7 million
  • Courts and legal services$5.5 million
  • Inspections and regulation$1.5 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
25%$66.3 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; water supply and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$32.1 million
  • Water supply$27.7 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$6.5 million
Running the government and other costs
21%$54.6 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$25.4 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$21.8 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$4.9 million
  • Government buildings$2.5 million
Roads, transit and parking
15%$38.8 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$38.8 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
4.1%$10.6 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$7.5 million
  • Libraries$3.1 million
Interest on debt
4.1%$10.6 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$7.8 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$2.8 million
Sent to other local governments
0.7%$1.9 million
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to the state government
  • Sent to the state government$1.9 million
Housing and community development
0.2%$413 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Sterling Heights. 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 Sterling Heights 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.