City government · Platte County, NE

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended September 30, 2023), Columbus took in $35.4 million and spent $75.8 million.

Latest recorded year: ended September 30, 2023Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

City taxes44%Fees for services (sewer, water)35%State tax money14%Federal tax money3.6%Fines and other3.3%County and local tax money0.7%

What stands out

24%

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

City taxes44%

Sales tax
24%$8.5 million
Property tax
20%$6.9 million

Fees for services35%

Fees for services
35%$12.3 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 4 more
  • Sewer$5.2 million
  • Water$3.4 million
  • Garbage collection$1.5 million
  • Gas$1.1 million
  • Parks and recreation$919 thousand
  • Airport$199 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money3.6%

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

From the federal government
3.6%$1.3 million

State tax money14%

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

From the state
14%$5.0 million

County and local tax money0.7%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
0.7%$262 thousand

Fines and other3.3%

Interest, rents and other
3.3%$1.2 million

Where it goes

Parks, recreation and libraries25%Water, sewer, trash and utilities23%Roads, transit and parking19%Police, fire, courts and jails17%Running the government and other costs9.9%All other spending6.8%

What stands out

25%

of Columbus' spending goes to parks, recreation and libraries.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people spends 5.6%.

Spending by category100%

Parks, recreation and libraries
25%$18.8 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$14.1 million
  • Libraries$4.7 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
23%$17.5 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; water supply and 2 more
  • Sewer systems$7.8 million
  • Water supply$6.3 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$2.2 million
  • Gas supply$1.2 million
Roads, transit and parking
19%$14.3 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and airports
  • Roads and highways$13.4 million
  • Airports$878 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
17%$12.5 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 1 more
  • Police$7.6 million
  • Fire protection$4.9 million
  • Inspections and regulation$10 thousand
Running the government and other costs
9.9%$7.5 million
What's in running the government and other costsCentral staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology); finance, tax collection and budgeting and 2 more
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$3.9 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$3.0 million
  • Government buildings$598 thousand
  • Other and not broken out$15 thousand
Housing and community development
4.0%$3.1 million
Social services
1.6%$1.2 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$1.2 million
Health and hospitals
1.1%$861 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$861 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Columbus. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended September 30, 2023.

What this covers. The money of City of Columbus 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.