City government · Union County, NJ

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Plainfield took in $108 million and spent $107 million.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes58%Fees for services (garbage collection, sewer)20%Federal tax money16%State tax money4.4%Fines and other1.1%County and local tax money0.8%

What stands out

58%

of Plainfield's money comes from property tax.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 20%.

City taxes58%

Property tax
58%$62.4 million
Other taxes
<0.1%$72 thousand
What's in other taxesAlcoholic beverage licenses
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$72 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services20%

Fees for services
20%$22.0 million
What's in fees for servicesGarbage collection; sewer and 2 more
  • Garbage collection$10.2 million
  • Sewer$8.5 million
  • Housing$2.1 million
  • Parking$1.2 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money16%

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

From the federal government
16%$17.1 million

State tax money4.4%

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

From the state
4.4%$4.7 million

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%$833 thousand

Fines and other1.1%

Interest, rents and other
0.6%$611 thousand
Fines
0.5%$575 thousand

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails31%Running the government and other costs28%Housing and community development15%Water, sewer, trash and utilities15%Roads, transit and parking5.5%All other spending5.3%

What stands out

15%

of Plainfield's spending goes to housing and community development.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 1.4%.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
31%$33.0 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$19.7 million
  • Fire protection$10.6 million
  • Inspections and regulation$1.5 million
  • Courts and legal services$1.2 million
Running the government and other costs
28%$30.3 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 1 more
  • Other and not broken out$26.4 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$2.0 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.9 million
Housing and community development
15%$16.5 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
15%$16.0 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste and sewer systems
  • Garbage and solid waste$11.0 million
  • Sewer systems$5.0 million
Roads, transit and parking
5.5%$6.0 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and parking
  • Roads and highways$5.3 million
  • Parking$635 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
3.3%$3.5 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries and parks and recreation
  • Libraries$2.8 million
  • Parks and recreation$737 thousand
Interest on debt
1.3%$1.3 million
Health and hospitals
0.7%$801 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$801 thousand
Sent to other local governments
<0.1%$31 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$31 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Plainfield. 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 Plainfield 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.