City government · Flathead County, MT

Columbia Falls's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Columbia Falls took in $8.3 million and spent $6.7 million.

Latest recorded year: ended June 30, 2024Estimated by the U.S. Census BureauComes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

Fees for services (sewer, water)33%City taxes29%State tax money21%Fines and other16%

What stands out

13%

of Columbia Falls' money comes from interest, rents and other revenue.A typical U.S. city, town or village of under 10,000 people gets 3%.

City taxes29%

Property tax
27%$2.2 million
Other taxes
2.5%$206 thousand
What's in other taxesOther licenses; public utility licenses and 2 more
  • Other licenses$111 thousand
  • Public utility licenses$65 thousand
  • Occupation and business licenses$22 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$8 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services33%

Fees for services
33%$2.8 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 2 more
  • Sewer$1.5 million
  • Water$1.0 million
  • Other service charges$141 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$33 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

State tax money21%

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

From the state
21%$1.8 million

County and local tax money<0.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
<0.1%$1 thousand

Fines and other16%

Interest, rents and other
13%$1.1 million
Fines
3.4%$283 thousand

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails31%Water, sewer, trash and utilities24%Roads, transit and parking19%Running the government and other costs10%Sent to other local governments6.6%All other spending9.1%

What stands out

31%

of Columbia Falls' spending goes to police, fire, courts and jails.A typical U.S. city, town or village of under 10,000 people spends 11%.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
31%$2.1 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$1.4 million
  • Fire protection$313 thousand
  • Courts and legal services$281 thousand
  • Inspections and regulation$41 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
24%$1.6 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems and water supply
  • Sewer systems$843 thousand
  • Water supply$770 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
19%$1.3 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$1.3 million
Running the government and other costs
10%$686 thousand
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$200 thousand
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$190 thousand
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$188 thousand
  • Government buildings$108 thousand
Sent to other local governments
6.6%$444 thousand
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to local governments: other and not broken out
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$444 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
5.3%$359 thousand
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$359 thousand
Housing and community development
3.0%$203 thousand
Interest on debt
0.5%$32 thousand
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$29 thousand
  • Interest on water supply debt$3 thousand
Environment and natural resources
0.3%$19 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$19 thousand
Health and hospitals
<0.1%$2 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$2 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Columbia Falls. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended June 30, 2024. 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 Columbia Falls 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.