City government · Washington County, MN

Cottage Grove's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Cottage Grove took in $79.1 million and spent $116 million.

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

See every government that serves your ZIP

Where it comes from

State tax money35%City taxes31%Fees for services (parks and recreation, road charges)26%Fines and other7.4%County and local tax money1.4%Federal tax money0.3%

What stands out

35%

of Cottage Grove's money comes from state tax money.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people gets 7%.

City taxes31%

Property tax
26%$20.7 million
Other taxes
4.6%$3.7 million
What's in other taxesOther licenses; public utility taxes and 2 more
  • Other licenses$2.7 million
  • Public utility taxes$860 thousand
  • Other selective sales taxes$72 thousand
  • Severance taxes$39 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services26%

Fees for services
26%$20.2 million
What's in fees for servicesParks and recreation; road charges and 5 more
  • Parks and recreation$6.3 million
  • Road charges$3.6 million
  • Water$3.1 million
  • Sewer$3.0 million
  • Hospital bills$1.9 million
  • Other service charges$1.7 million
  • Garbage collection$552 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money0.3%

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

From the federal government
0.3%$198 thousand

State tax money35%

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

From the state
35%$27.3 million

County and local tax money1.4%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
1.4%$1.1 million

Fines and other7.4%

Interest, rents and other
7.0%$5.5 million
Fines
0.4%$333 thousand

Where it goes

Roads, transit and parking34%Water, sewer, trash and utilities29%Parks, recreation and libraries15%Police, fire, courts and jails13%Running the government and other costs6.1%All other spending3.5%

What stands out

34%

of Cottage Grove's spending goes to roads, transit and parking.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people spends 10%.

Spending by category100%

Roads, transit and parking
34%$39.5 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$39.5 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
29%$33.9 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; sewer systems and 1 more
  • Water supply$23.7 million
  • Sewer systems$10.0 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$165 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
15%$16.8 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$16.8 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
13%$14.6 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice and fire protection
  • Police$12.8 million
  • Fire protection$1.8 million
Running the government and other costs
6.1%$7.0 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$5.3 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.6 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$106 thousand
Health and hospitals
2.1%$2.4 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$2.4 million
Interest on debt
1.0%$1.1 million
Housing and community development
0.3%$396 thousand
Environment and natural resources
<0.1%$107 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$107 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Cottage Grove. 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 Cottage Grove 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.