County government · Clay County, MO

Clay County's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Clay County took in $91.9 million and spent $99.1 million.

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

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Where it comes from

County taxes68%Fees for services (parks and recreation, airport)18%State tax money6.9%Fines and other5.8%Local tax money1.6%Federal tax money0.2%

What stands out

59%

of Clay County's money comes from sales tax.A typical U.S. county of 250,000+ people gets 2.7%.

County taxes68%

Sales tax
59%$54.3 million
Property tax
7.1%$6.5 million
Other taxes
1.3%$1.2 million
What's in other taxesOther licenses; public utility taxes and 4 more
  • Other licenses$336 thousand
  • Public utility taxes$247 thousand
  • Other selective sales taxes$240 thousand
  • Amusement licenses$158 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$146 thousand
  • Motor vehicle licenses$102 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services18%

Fees for services
18%$16.4 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; parks and recreation and 2 more
  • Other service charges$11.9 million
  • Parks and recreation$3.6 million
  • Airport$720 thousand
  • Road charges$205 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money0.2%

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

From the federal government
0.2%$176 thousand

State tax money6.9%

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

From the state
6.9%$6.4 million

Local tax money1.6%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
1.6%$1.5 million

Fines and other5.8%

Interest, rents and other
5.8%$5.3 million
Fines
<0.1%$32 thousand

Where it goes

Running the government and other costs41%Police, fire, courts and jails38%Roads, transit and parking13%Parks, recreation and libraries6.4%Social services1.2%Interest on debt0.5%

What stands out

41%

of Clay County's spending goes to running the government and other costs.A typical U.S. county of 250,000+ people spends 17%.

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs
41%$40.2 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$26.3 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$6.7 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$3.7 million
  • Government buildings$3.5 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
38%$38.1 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; courts and legal services and 2 more
  • Police$25.8 million
  • Courts and legal services$7.6 million
  • Prisons and jails$3.7 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$933 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
13%$12.7 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and airports
  • Roads and highways$11.4 million
  • Airports$1.3 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
6.4%$6.4 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$6.4 million
Social services
1.2%$1.2 million
What's in social servicesWelfare institutions and other public welfare
  • Welfare institutions$887 thousand
  • Other public welfare$337 thousand
Interest on debt
0.5%$447 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Clay County. 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 Clay County 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.