City government · Clay County, MO

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Liberty took in $64.6 million and spent $88.0 million.

Latest recorded year: ended December 31, 2023Estimated by the U.S. Census BureauComes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

City taxes59%Fees for services (sewer, water)37%Fines and other3.8%County and local tax money0.8%Federal tax money<0.1%

What stands out

31%

of Liberty's money comes from sales tax.Most U.S. cities of 10,000 to 50,000 people get none.

City taxes59%

Sales tax
31%$20.2 million
Property tax
14%$9.0 million
Other taxes
13%$8.7 million
What's in other taxesPublic utility taxes; other selective sales taxes and 4 more
  • Public utility taxes$5.5 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$2.1 million
  • Other licenses$538 thousand
  • Occupation and business licenses$438 thousand
  • Tobacco taxes$117 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$44 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services37%

Fees for services
37%$23.6 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 4 more
  • Sewer$10.6 million
  • Water$5.2 million
  • Parks and recreation$3.2 million
  • Other service charges$2.4 million
  • Garbage collection$2.1 million
  • Other government-run businesses$57 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money<0.1%

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

From the federal government
<0.1%$53 thousand

State tax money<0.1%

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

From the state
<0.1%$14 thousand

County and local tax money0.8%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
0.8%$537 thousand

Fines and other3.8%

Interest, rents and other
2.3%$1.5 million
Fines
1.5%$970 thousand

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities52%Police, fire, courts and jails19%Roads, transit and parking9.4%Housing and community development7.0%Parks, recreation and libraries6.5%All other spending6.4%

What stands out

52%

of Liberty's spending goes to water, sewer, trash and other utilities.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people spends 24%.

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
52%$45.5 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; water supply and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$37.6 million
  • Water supply$5.9 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$2.0 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
19%$16.8 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$8.9 million
  • Fire protection$7.2 million
  • Inspections and regulation$343 thousand
  • Courts and legal services$306 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
9.4%$8.2 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$8.2 million
Housing and community development
7.0%$6.2 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
6.5%$5.8 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$5.8 million
Running the government and other costs
6.1%$5.3 million
What's in running the government and other costsCentral staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology); finance, tax collection and budgeting and 3 more
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$3.7 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$942 thousand
  • Government buildings$413 thousand
  • Other and not broken out$196 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$69 thousand
Health and hospitals
0.3%$265 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$265 thousand
Interest on debt
<0.1%$5 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Liberty. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended December 31, 2023. Most of this government's figures were estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau from a sample; the government did not report them itself.

What this covers. The money of City of Liberty 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.