City government · Faribault County, MN

Blue Earth's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Blue Earth took in $20.8 million and spent $30.1 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Fees for services (electric power, water)70%City taxes13%State tax money11%Fines and other4.9%Federal tax money0.8%County and local tax money0.4%

What stands out

70%

of Blue Earth'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
8.9%$1.9 million
Sales tax
2.3%$485 thousand
Other taxes
1.4%$296 thousand
What's in other taxesPublic utility taxes and other licenses
  • Public utility taxes$263 thousand
  • Other licenses$33 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services70%

Fees for services
70%$14.6 million
What's in fees for servicesElectric power; water and 6 more
  • Electric power$7.6 million
  • Water$2.3 million
  • Liquor stores$1.9 million
  • Sewer$1.7 million
  • Other service charges$459 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$255 thousand
  • Garbage collection$204 thousand
  • Airport$101 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money0.8%

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

From the federal government
0.8%$159 thousand

State tax money11%

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

From the state
11%$2.4 million

County and local tax money0.4%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
0.4%$74 thousand

Fines and other4.9%

Interest, rents and other
4.8%$1.0 million
Fines
<0.1%$14 thousand

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities55%Roads, transit and parking21%Running the government and other costs5.9%Police, fire, courts and jails5.4%Parks, recreation and libraries4.8%All other spending8.4%

What stands out

55%

of Blue Earth'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
55%$16.5 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesElectric power; water supply and 3 more
  • Electric power$11.0 million
  • Water supply$2.1 million
  • Liquor stores$1.7 million
  • Sewer systems$1.5 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$159 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
21%$6.2 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and airports
  • Roads and highways$6.0 million
  • Airports$220 thousand
Running the government and other costs
5.9%$1.8 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; finance, tax collection and budgeting and 1 more
  • Other and not broken out$1.4 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$369 thousand
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$36 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
5.4%$1.6 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice and fire protection
  • Police$897 thousand
  • Fire protection$721 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
4.8%$1.5 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$1.2 million
  • Libraries$231 thousand
Housing and community development
4.5%$1.4 million
Interest on debt
3.8%$1.2 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$1.0 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$149 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Blue Earth. 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 Blue Earth 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.