City government · Cascade County, MT

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Great Falls took in $127 million and spent $99.1 million.

Latest recorded year: ended June 30, 2024Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

Fees for services (water, sewer)33%City taxes26%Fines and other15%Federal tax money13%State tax money12%County and local tax money0.1%

What stands out

13%

of Great Falls' money comes from federal tax money.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 3.6%.

City taxes26%

Property tax
24%$31.1 million
Other taxes
1.9%$2.5 million
What's in other taxesOther licenses and alcoholic beverage licenses
  • Other licenses$2.4 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$69 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services33%

Fees for services
33%$42.6 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; sewer and 5 more
  • Water$15.8 million
  • Sewer$15.6 million
  • Garbage collection$5.8 million
  • Parks and recreation$3.2 million
  • Other service charges$1.4 million
  • Parking$587 thousand
  • Road charges$253 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money13%

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

From the federal government
13%$16.8 million

State tax money12%

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

From the state
12%$15.5 million

County and local tax money0.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
0.1%$179 thousand

Fines and other15%

Interest, rents and other
14%$18.0 million
Fines
0.5%$672 thousand

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities39%Police, fire, courts and jails21%Parks, recreation and libraries15%Running the government and other costs11%Roads, transit and parking7.3%All other spending7.5%

What stands out

39%

of Great Falls' spending goes to water, sewer, trash and other utilities.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 20%.

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
39%$38.2 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; water supply and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$18.3 million
  • Water supply$16.6 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$3.3 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
21%$20.7 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 1 more
  • Police$12.2 million
  • Fire protection$6.9 million
  • Courts and legal services$1.6 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
15%$15.1 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$13.0 million
  • Libraries$2.0 million
Running the government and other costs
11%$10.5 million
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$4.7 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$3.7 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.5 million
  • Government buildings$597 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
7.3%$7.2 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and parking
  • Roads and highways$6.7 million
  • Parking$559 thousand
Housing and community development
4.8%$4.7 million
Interest on debt
1.6%$1.6 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$599 thousand
Health and hospitals
1.0%$1.0 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$1.0 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

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

What this covers. The money of City of Great 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.