City government · Swift County, MN

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Benson took in $13.7 million and spent $15.2 million.

Latest recorded year: ended December 31, 2023Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

Fees for services (electric power, liquor stores)64%City taxes13%State tax money13%Fines and other6.9%Federal tax money3.2%

What stands out

64%

of Benson's money comes from fees for services such as water, sewer and parking.A typical U.S. city, town or village of under 10,000 people gets 35%.

City taxes13%

Property tax
11%$1.5 million
Other taxes
2.1%$283 thousand
What's in other taxesPublic utility taxes; other selective sales taxes and 1 more
  • Public utility taxes$213 thousand
  • Other selective sales taxes$45 thousand
  • Other licenses$25 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services64%

Fees for services
64%$8.7 million
What's in fees for servicesElectric power; liquor stores and 8 more
  • Electric power$4.4 million
  • Liquor stores$1.5 million
  • Sewer$1.3 million
  • Water$917 thousand
  • Other service charges$257 thousand
  • Garbage collection$189 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$97 thousand
  • Road charges$55 thousand
  • Airport$52 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$2 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money3.2%

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

From the federal government
3.2%$435 thousand

State tax money13%

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

From the state
13%$1.8 million

Fines and other6.9%

Interest, rents and other
6.7%$924 thousand
Fines
0.2%$29 thousand

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities63%Police, fire, courts and jails10%Running the government and other costs8.9%Roads, transit and parking8.1%Parks, recreation and libraries5.6%All other spending4.3%

What stands out

63%

of Benson's spending goes to water, sewer, trash and other utilities.A typical U.S. city, town or village of under 10,000 people spends 32%.

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
63%$9.5 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesElectric power; water supply and 3 more
  • Electric power$4.9 million
  • Water supply$1.8 million
  • Liquor stores$1.4 million
  • Sewer systems$1.2 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$221 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
10%$1.6 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice and fire protection
  • Police$1.3 million
  • Fire protection$243 thousand
Running the government and other costs
8.9%$1.3 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$888 thousand
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$419 thousand
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$27 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$11 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
8.1%$1.2 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; airports and 1 more
  • Roads and highways$1.0 million
  • Airports$171 thousand
  • Public transit$11 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
5.6%$855 thousand
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$727 thousand
  • Libraries$128 thousand
Housing and community development
2.6%$400 thousand
Interest on debt
1.6%$248 thousand
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$200 thousand
  • Interest on water supply debt$48 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Benson. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.

What this covers. The money of City of Benson 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.